Survivor: Strangetown Edition
by SClownzZzZz
Summary: Fourteen Strangetown residents embark on the adventure of a lifetime and must compete against one another as they struggle to survive both the elements and each other in order to claim the one million simoleon cash prize. Contestants include Loki and Circe Beaker, the Curious brothers, Pollination Tech #9, Olive Specter, and the Grim Reaper. - Now Complete!
1. Episode 1: We Suck!

Hey guys! This is something I started writing for fun as a side project for this summer. It takes place in a different universe than my other Strangetown stories, but a lot of the characterization is similar in both. I still plan on updating both projects regularly, so feel free to let me know what you think!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own the Sims or Survivor.

* * *

 **Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode One –** _"We Suck!"_

"Hello," a man wearing a black top hat with a long black tailed tuxedo speaks, pushing his fingers together as he stands in the center of a desert island, "You might know me as the Unsavory Charlatan. Unfortunately, due to all of my antics this past year, I've been forced to give away all of the money that I stole from idiotic tourists. The cops gave me a choice: either track down all of the sims I stole money from and return it to them, or host a reality game show and just give the money away to some other loser," the Unsavory Charlatan sighs, shaking his head, "But trust me, after hosting this season, I really should've tracked down the owners."

"Anyway, this summer, fourteen sims will partake in the adventure of a lifetime as they all compete against their fellow neighbors for a one million simoleon prize! Along the way, they must win challenges, form alliances, and make it through countless tribal councils, all as they attempt to survive in this vast desert. Who will outwit, outplay, and outlast all the rest to earn the title of Sole Survivor? This is Survivor: Strangetown Edition!"

 _Day 1_

The Unsavory Charlatan is standing in front of two large groups of Strangetown residents, who are all dressed in weather-appropriate attire as they stand facing the shore. "Hello everyone, and welcome to Survivor: Strangetown Edition," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, turning towards each of the groups, "I'm your host, the Unsavory Charlatan, and over these next thirty-one days, you will be competing against each other for the one million simoleon prize and the title of Sole Survivor," he explains, pacing closer to them, "Now, as you can see, we've picked the craziest people that live in the city and have already divided you into two tribes," the host goes on, "We've split you up by gender, because we really couldn't figure out a more creative way to do it."

"Sweet!" Lazlo outbursts, "Now we can pee standing up!"

"On tribe one, we have Pascal, Vidcund, Lazlo, Pollination Tech #9, General Buzz, Loki, and whoever that new guy is," the Unsavory Charlatan continues.

"Hey!" Ajay Loner speaks up from his spot on the beach, "I have a name you know!"

"Right," the host rolls his eyes, "And on tribe two, we have Circe, Crystal Vu, Erin, Nervous, Olive, the Grim Reaper, and Jenny," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, "So, are there any questions?"

Nervous Subject raises his head. "Yeah. Why am I on the girl's team?"

"Because we ran out of girls that were willing to do this," the host replies, "Now, are there any more questions?" he asks.

Jenny raises her hand. "You said you took the craziest people from the neighborhood for this, so why am I considered a crazy person?"

Next to her, Circe crosses her arms. "Well, I'm just going to take a wild guess here and say that it's because you married the alien that impregnated your father," she smirks; Jenny glares at her.

"Also, why is Death here?" Lazlo speaks up, "I mean technically, couldn't he just kill everyone and take the money?"

"Don't give him any ideas," Vidcund mumbles.

"So, if you're all done asking stupid questions, we can get to your first challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "Well, I guess it would be your second challenge, because the first challenge is to survive on this desert island."

"Right," Vidcund rolls his eyes, "Because we have absolutely no experience living in a desert."

"Okay, just for that, I'm letting Loki decide the name of your tribe," the host retaliates, "So, Loki, what will it be?" he asks, turning towards the Curious Brothers' rival.

Loki begins to ponder this over, "Hmm, I'll call our tribe 'Vidcund Sucks'!"

"Now wait just a minute," Vidcund outbursts nearby, "Can I object to that-?"

"-No," the host replies, throwing a buff at Vidcund's face. Vidcund picks it up and unravels the blue puff, which reads 'Vidcund Sucks' in giant letters.

"Whoa! How did they make these so fast?" Pascal awes.

"-It's like they knew what he was going to say," Vidcund responds, glaring at Loki, who flashes his signature smirk at him.

The Unsavory Charlatan looks to the other team. "Alright, team two. Death has randomly been selected to the pick the name for your tribe. So, what will you be called?"

The Grim Reaper floats forward, stopping short of the host. "We are the Death Conquerors Plus Jenny, because that girl couldn't hurt a fly," he comments, "-Wait, no! I didn't say the name right-"

"'The Death Conquerors Plus Jenny' it is!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, tossing them purple buffs, "Man, you guys are really bad at selecting tribe names."

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Field Researcher/Mother of Two_

Not many people know this, but I can get pretty vicious when it comes to bettering my children's lives, so game on, Death!

...

"Now that your tribe names have been selected, it's time for your first task. Today both teams will be finding their campsites! You will take these maps and locate your camp," the host explains, "There you will find limited resources, which you must use to start a fire. Whoever starts a fire first will win this grain of rice," the Unsavory Charlatan says, reaching into his pocket and holding a single piece of rice between his filthy fingertips, "Oh, and all that other stuff," he adds, gesturing carelessly behind his body to a large pile of food and survival equipment that is situated behind him.

"But we still get the grain of rice, right?" Pascal chimes in, overexcitedly. "Ooh! Can we vote out Loki?"

"You can't vote out anyone until you go to tribal council," the host huffs.

"Oh okay," Pascal replies, turning to Vidcund and nudging him in the shoulder, "-Let's lose so we can vote out Loki," he states.

The Unsavory Charlatan glares at him and points to Pascal's tribe. "Do us all a favor and vote this guy off early."

"Ooh! He _likes_ me!" Pascal smiles.

The Unsavory Charlatan sighs and pops an aspirin in his mouth. He takes deep breath. "Anyway, after you have successfully found your campsites, rest up to prepare yourselves for your first immunity challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan says, handing a map to both Lazlo and Erin, "Now get going as you have only one day to complete this task! See you tomorrow!"

 _Afternoon – The Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny)_

All seven of the members are walking through the island as Erin attempts to navigate everyone to their new campsite, clenching the map between her fingers. "This way everyone! The spirits are speaking to me!" Erin calls out, wandering further into the trees.

Olive sighs and rolls her eyes. "Unbelievable. This girl is a freak."

"We're all freaks, Mom," Nervous says next to her.

"Well, this girl is a bigger freak than all of us," Olive concludes, trailing a ways from Erin. Behind Olive, Circe shrugs her shoulders.

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

Look, I don't care how much of a freak Erin is. I just want the money. And I'm not afraid to lie, cheat, steal, or kill to do it. Uh, could you edit that last part out? I don't want to sound insane. _(smiles to the camera)_

...

"Wait, guys! I think I found it!" Crystal shouts in the distance as everyone races over to the shoreline where she is standing. "I mean, our tribe flag is planted there, so this is probably what we're looking for," she concludes.

"Man, way to not be useless, Vu," the Grim Reaper says, sticking his scythe into the sand. Behind him, Nervous Subject backs nervously towards the shoreline and puts his hands over his face.

"I can't believe he was allowed to bring that," he mutters under his breath.

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

Why do I want the money? Oh, I don't know. I guess it would be nice to buy some fancy candles. You know, the kind that smell like raspberry mist? Oh, and it would be nice to have enough money to not be a test subject anymore.

...

"So," Circe speaks up, scanning the area, "Now what?" she asks.

"Well, I guess now we should make the fire," Crystal says, watching as Jenny sets a pile of twigs down in the center of their campsite. "Can I borrow your glasses?" she wonders.

Circe raises her eyebrow, her arms crossed as she narrows her eyes at the young townie. Crystal sweat drops, "Uh…on second thought, why don't you do it?" Circe nods, seemingly satisfied by her answer and crouches down in front of the wood. She takes off her glasses and raises them up to the sky. Crystal takes a step away from her.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

We've been here for an hour now, and I already know that I can't trust Circe. But I'm too terrified of what she'd do if she wasn't on my side, that I decided that I have no choice but to try to align myself with her. _(sighs)_ Oh man, the things I put up with for money. _(shakes head)_

 _..._

"So, Circe," Crystal begins, approaching the scientist, "How's it going?"

"Decently," Circe answers, adjusting her glasses a bit so they catch the sun, "I'd say we'll have fire in a few minutes or so," she concludes.

"Fire?" the Grim Reaper speaks up, floating over to the pair, "Why didn't you just say so?" the Grim Reaper puts his hand out towards the pile of wood and moves his fingers towards his palm. A flame erupts in the center of the pile.

Circe eyes widen. "Holy shit!" she exclaims as the others gather around the fire.

"Uh, are you sure this is allowed?" Crystal asks.

"Who cares? We won the challenge!" Erin shouts, poking the fire with a stick, "Do you think we can use this to communicate with the dead?"

Everyone at the campsite raises their eyebrows in confusion.

"Now come on, that might not be true. We might've lost the challenge," Jenny explains, "The guys could've beaten us."

The group exchange glances with each other before bursting into a fit of laughter. Olive Specter wipes a single tear from her eye. "Good one, dear."

 _Day 2_

It is the next morning and the tribemates of Vidcund Sucks are still trying to find their campsite using the map that the Unsavory Charlatan had given to them. "I don't understand this map, the directions are super confusing!" Pascal exclaims, holding up the crumpled map, "I mean, Northeast? What the hell is that?" he questions, "Pick one, jerk!"

Suddenly, General Buzz snatches the map from Pascal and tosses it into a nearby hole. "We don't need a map, Curious! It's all in here!" he states, pointing directly at his forehead.

Pascal scrunches his eyebrows, clearly confused. "In my central nervous system?"

"Uh, I think he means your brain," Lazlo says, watching as Ajay and Pollination Tech #9 attempt to retrieve the map from the crevice with Vidcund. Behind Lazlo, Loki is shaking his head.

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

Hmm…do I think Pascal can survive in the wilderness for thirty-one days? _(smiles to the camera)_ Not a chance.

...

"Well, this is just great, now we have absolutely no way of locating our campsite!" Vidcund proclaims, Ajay and Pollination Tech #9 rejoining the group behind him, "Why on earth did you think it was a good idea to throw the map away?"

"Now, now, I never said it was a good idea," General Buzz points out, "But come on, I can get us out of this minor snafu."

"Don't listen to him," Pollination Tech #9 warns them, "At this rate he'll probably lead us off a cliff."

"You shut your mouth you talking celery stick!" General Buzz fires back, inching towards him. Sensing animosity, Vidcund quickly steps between them.

"Come on guys, just calm down and let's get this task done," Vidcund tells them, "We don't want to lose our minds out here."

"A little late for you, isn't it, Vid?" Loki remarks next to him.

Vidcund turns to Loki and snarls. "Oh, that's it!"

Almost instantly, everyone begins fighting with one another, their voices blaring out from the top of the woods. Nearby, Ajay stands in silence, clutching the sides of his head in pain.

 **Ajay Loner**  
 _New Guy/Who?_

Why am I here? What did I do to deserve this punishment? I'm a good guy. I mean, I just moved here, I don't even know these people! I'm a normal person that just so happened to move to an abnormal city. For the love of Will Wright, get me away from these crazies!

 _Afternoon – Vidcund Sucks_

Pascal and Vidcund are lying in the middle of some random part of the island, exhausted from hours of searching for their campsite. "Day four," Pascal narrates, lying down on his back next to Vidcund, "It's been three days without food or water," Pascal puts his hand up towards the sky, "If I hold out my hand, I can see a hand-like creature in front of me."

"Pascal," Vidcund mutters next to him, using his right hand as a sun blocker, "It's only been three hours."

"-I've gone so mad that I can hear voices talking to me," Pascal continues on, "They sound like my brother."

Nearby, Lazlo, Pollination Tech #9, Ajay, and Loki are struggling to start a fire. General Buzz walks up behind them, examining their work.

"Unbelievable," he states, "Fours scientists and we can't even start a fire!"

Lazlo turns to his tribemates. "Well, he's got us there," he states.

 **Lazlo Curious**  
 _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

How do I plan on winning a million simoleons? Simple. Using the same tactic that I use to get everything else I want, by just walking around in the background and quietly doing things while going unnoticed. Then one day I'll be sitting there in the finals, and people will be like 'Whaaaaat?'

...

Lazlo continues to hold his glasses underneath the sun, aiming it at the pile of twigs that Pollination Tech #9 has gathered on the sand. Suddenly, it sparks a flame. "Yes!" Lazlo celebrates, pumping his freehand as his brothers walk over to the group, "Now we just have to-"

" _ACHOO!"_ Pascal sneezes on the fire, causing the flame to blow out. The group's faces drop as they all look to Pascal in utter disbelief. "What?" Pascal states, confused by their testy stares.

 _Day 3_

The next day, the Unsavory Charlatan has gathered the Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny) to Vidcund Sucks's random campsite. "Well," the host begins, "It's been three days, and Vidcund Sucks still hasn't found their _correct_ campsite-" the Unsavory Charlatan emphasizes.

Pascal walks through the sand and cuts him off, using his hand as a sun blocker as he points out into the distance. "Wait! I think I see it!" he announces, gazing into the ocean.

The Unsavory Charlatan face-palms. "So we're not out here for an extra two months, we're just going to take you guys to your campsite and say that you lost the immunity challenge."

"Sweet! Goodbye Loki!" Pascal shouts, pointing his finger in his rival's face.

"But it wasn't our fault – wait, no. It was," Lazlo quickly corrects himself, thinking this over, "The punishment fits the crime."

"I'll see you tonight at tribal council," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "where one of you will be the first sim voted out of this game."

 _Afternoon – Vidcund Sucks_

All seven of the tribe members walk to their new campsite, exhausted from the long journey; their morale low as the drudgery of tribal council hangs over their heads. "Man, we suck!" Pascal says, stopping in front of their tribe flag.

"Correction, _Vidcund_ sucks!" Loki adds in point. Vidcund gives Loki a scowl, before kicking sand in his face. Loki begins to cough.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

Well, we lost the challenge which, let's face it, we all saw coming. Personally, I think we're all to blame, except that new guy who never really says or does anything. Now we have to vote off someone, and I'm surprisingly okay with that; it will give us a chance to make our first intelligent decision of this game. Normally, being an intellectual on Survivor is great, but since half the people on this island are intellectuals, this season is going to be a pain in the ass.

...

Vidcund is sitting in front of the campfire, Pascal sitting next to him, as he attempts to fan out his brown jacket. "This is disgusting," Vidcund speaks up, holding his jacket out a few feet from his face, his eyes watering a bit, "It's only been three days and I'm already starting to smell."

"You always smell," Loki notes, walking by the campfire.

Vidcund raises his eyebrows sarcastically, "Thanks Loki," he states as Lazlo sits down next to him.

"So, who are we voting off?" Lazlo wonders, "Buzz, right? I mean, the guy's a nut."

"Really?" Pascal says, popping his head up over Vidcund's shoulder, "We're getting rid of Buzz before Loki? I thought we were set."

"Yeah," Vidcund seconds, "I say we get Loki before he gets us, it's our best option."

Lazlo slowly nods, pondering this over. "Yeah, I guess," he says, getting up from the campfire and wandering towards the woods.

Near the shoreline, Loki and General Buzz are conversing with each other. "So Beaker, what are you thinking? Who do you want out?" General Buzz questions, washing his hands in the ocean.

"Well, I think the entire tribe would be stupid not to target one of the Curious brothers," Loki tells him, "That's three votes of seven right there, with the potential for more once we merge," Loki continues on, "I say we take out Vidcund first, he's the brains of that group," Loki pauses, washing his hands as well, "It was Pascal, but then he gave birth to that kid and started going crazy."

"Yeah," General Buzz agrees, staring back up at the scientist, "But Pollination Tech #9 is still worse, right?"

Loki stares at him strangely.

Meanwhile, Lazlo has joined Pollination Tech #9 and Ajay in the woods and is gathering firewood with the two of them. "So…?" Lazlo says, hoping to nudge his way into their conversation.

"We're getting rid of Buzz," Pollination Tech #9 states bluntly, not bothering to stop his task, "He lost the map, he doesn't deserve to be here," he states.

"I don't know," Ajay speaks up, "This is the beginning of the game, after all. I mean, we might want to get rid of the big threats before they take us out," Ajay proposes.

Lazlo tilts his forehead, clearly confused, "And General Buzz is not a threat?" Lazlo questions, "He could probably beat us in every challenge."

"True," Ajay says, "But we're going to need him to win challenges for us," he says, "No offense to any of us, but if we take him out we're pretty weak as a unit."

"He's got a point," Pollination Tech #9 says, turning to Lazlo, "But could we really stand another day with him?" Lazlo nods, pondering this one over.

 **Lazlo Curious**  
 _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

Gosh, this is tough. I have no idea what I'm going to do. Trust me, I would love to vote with my brothers on this one, but the thing is, Loki hasn't really done anything yet. And I'm not a part of the rivalry, so I just can't really justify voting him out. General Buzz, however, annoys the crap out of me and after that conversation with Pollination Tech #9 and Ajay, I bet we could easily get rid of him. But am I really willing to risk losing Pascal and Vidcund's trust over this? _(sighs)_ That is the question.

 _Tribal Council_

All seven members of Vidcund Sucks walk into the tribal council area and place their belongings near the empty stools. "Go ahead and grab a torch and dip it into the flame," the Unsavory Charlatan instructs, pointing to the stack of wooden torches that are situated against the wall behind the group, "In this game fire represents life, once your fire is gone, so are you."

The team members walk over and each grab an empty torch. Pascal stops towards the fire, feeling a sneeze coming on. " _Ahh-ahh-!_ " Vidcund quickly turns his brother to the side, " _Achoo!_ " Pascal sneezes on the stone wall instead, keeping the fire intact.

He sniffs, giving a small smile. "Thanks Vid."

After everyone has completed the task, they take their seats on the stools in front of the fire.

"Welcome to tribal council," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "Tribal Council is a very important part of this game, because the only way to advance and get closer to the money is to vote people off," he tells them, "But it's not someplace that you want to be this early, so Buzz, what do you think went wrong? Why did you end up here?" the host presses further.

"We ended up here, because this genius-" General Buzz points to Pascal, "Doesn't know how to read a map!"

"Hey, in his defense, we did give everyone else a try before we gave it to him," Vidcund speaks up, raising his hand in point.

Lazlo tilts his head, "How is that in his defense?" he wonders.

Vidcund shrugs, "I don't know. The argument sounded better in my head."

"So Pascal, do you agree with what Buzz is saying? Was the loss your fault?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks.

"Well Chet, I think of this whole situation differently," Pascal begins, crossing his leg, "You see, this tribe fits perfectly with one of my theories: If the tribe sucks, so do you," Pascal says, stopping to think for a moment as to what he just said, "Wait-"

"Look, maybe we're not the best team," Pollination Tech #9 cuts in, "But we didn't lose because of Pascal. We lost because Buzz threw the map down a hole!"

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, "Well, if that's the case, Loki – who do you vote off?"

"-Vidcund," Loki replies snarky, his arms crossed.

"What?" Vidcund squeaks next to him.

"Hey, you've spent three days with me in this game, you should already know my thought process," Loki concludes, "But it's not just cause I hate him – even though that is the main reason why I want him gone. Vidcund is a big strategic threat and we need to get rid of him now before he starts scheming."

"Scheming?" Vidcund repeats, "Please! You scheme more than anyone else in the neighborhood!" he counters, "We'd be stupid not to get rid of you!"

The Unsavory Charlatan claps his hands. "And with that, it is time to vote. New guy, you're up first!"

Ajay sighs and gets up from his stool. He writes the person's name down and holds his parchment up to the camera. "I don't know you, but you seem like a jerk. No hard feelings, though." After Ajay sits down, Pollination Tech #9 gets up next and casts his vote, followed by Pascal.

Loki then sits up and goes over to the voting station, writing Vidcund's name down in giant letters. "Hey dipwad, thought I'd add to the many disappointments in your life by getting rid of you first. There is no way I am losing to a Curious."

Loki returns, causing Vidcund to sit up and go over to the voting station. He takes the cap off the marker and writes Loki's name down in gigantic capital letters. "Seems like a no brainer on my part. Maybe if you were smart enough, you would see this coming."

Vidcund sits back down and General Buzz gets up and casts his vote. Lastly, Lazlo walks over to the voting station. He looks down at the empty piece of parchment and sighs, playing with the marker a bit as he debates what to do.

Finally, Lazlo sits back down on the stool next to his brothers.

"I'll go get the votes," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, walking over to the voting station and retrieving the box. He stops at the podium and places his hands on top of the lid. "Once the votes are read, the decision is final, the person voted off will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes," he states, reaching into the box.

"First vote – Vidcund," the Unsavory Charlatan reads.

Vidcund rolls his eyes, "Well that's a shocker."

"Second vote – Buzz," the host announces, "That's one vote Vidcund, one vote Buzz." The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the box a third time, "Third vote – Vidcund."

"Now that is a shocker," Lazlo states, watching as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the box a fourth time.

"Fourth vote – Loki. That's two vote Vidcund, one vote Buzz, and one vote Loki," the hosts announces, reaching into the box once more. "Fifth vote – Buzz."

General Buzz rolls his eyes, "That's obviously a typo."

"How could it be a typo?" Pollination Tech #9 asks, scrunching his forehead.

"Quiet you!" General Buzz hisses.

"Sixth vote – Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan reads after unfolding the piece of parchment and revealing it to the others, "Well, here's where we stand. Right now we have a three-way tie between Vidcund, Buzz, and Loki. If this vote is for anyone but the three of you, we are going to have to revote. If not, one of the three of you is going home," he states, "I'll read the vote."

The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the final vote and opens it up. "The first person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition is…Buzz," the host tells them, revealing the final vote. Both Vidcund and Loki breath sighs of relief. "Buzz, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Pascal watches as General Buzz walks behind them, the scientist's face filled with shock as he redirects his attentions to his brothers. "What happened?" he whispers.

"Lazlo switched," Vidcund whispers back, leaning in next to him.

Pascal turns to his other side and locks eyes with his youngest brother. "-Sorry," Lazlo whisper-apologizes.

Pascal turns forward, brushing him off, his face filled with sternness and determination. "Game on, Lazzie boy."

"Buzz, the tribe has spoken," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks, snuffing out General Buzz's torch. "It's time for you to go." General Buzz exits the premises without saying a word, his face bitter.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns back towards the others, his hands behind his back. "Well, after these last three days, it's clear to me that this tribe is all over the place. The question is, will you be able to pull it together in time to make it all the way to the end?" he wonders, allowing the castaways to ponder this for a moment. "Now grab your stuff and head back to camp. Goodnight."

The six remaining tribe members grab their belongings and exit the premises.

 **General Buzz Grunt  
** _Closing Words_

You know, I think I did pretty well – no, what am I saying? Of course I did well! It's not my fault that those nerds couldn't handle the pressure! Good luck finding your way in the real world! In terms of who's left, I don't really care who wins, as long as it's not any of those idiots. Except that guy that never said anything, he seemed cool. So yeah, don't ever call me again!

 _Next time on Survivor…_

… _Motives are questioned…_

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

I don't know a lot of things, but I do know that Death is not someone that I should mess with. And neither is Circe, and neither is my mother. But if I don't take these risks and go for it, then why am I here? What is my purpose?

… _Idols are found…_

Crystal is hiding behind a tree in the woods, watching as Erin ties a small stone carved object to a pile of leaves a few yards away.

"Oh my gosh," Crystal whispers excitedly into the camera, "Erin found an immunity idol and she doesn't even know that she found one!" Crystal awes, maneuvering around a few dead branches, "If I can get her to give it to me, then I'm in business."

… _And things heat up between the Curious Brothers!_

"Lazlo is a traitor and he should not be trusted," Pascal whisper hisses to Vidcund as they converse alone in the ocean, "And if he thinks that I won't vote off my own brother to win a million simoleons, he's got another thing coming."

 **Lazlo Curious**  
 _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

It's not my fault. I didn't come here to be dragged along, I came here to win. And if you got a problem with that, you can go!

 _All that and more, next time!_


	2. Episode 2: Open for Business

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Two –** _Open for Business_

 **Pollination Tech #9 Smith  
** _Retired Pollination Tech/Alien_

So we voted out Buzz tonight, and I think that's one of the best decisions we've made in this game. Of course _I_ would say that, but I think a lot of people on this tribe would agree with me.

...

All six of the remaining sims return from tribal council and set their belongings down on their campsite. "Good job, everyone," Ajay speaks up, hanging his backpack on a tree, "I think we did what we needed to do."

Loki groans as he walks past him towards the shelter, "Whatever. I'm going to bed."

 _Day 4_

The sun rises above the horizon, the sunlight beaming into the shelter, causing a few of the residents to stir. Vidcund sighs and shifts a little, cuddling up against what he believes to be the side of the shelter. Vidcund moans as he slowly opens his eyes, finding himself lying down on Loki's chest, cuddling with his enemy. Vidcund screams, which causes Loki to wake up and scream as well.

"OH GOD! WHAT THE HELL?!" Vidcund screams, quickly letting go of Loki. Both of them begin frantically dusting themselves off as everyone else in the shelter wakes up around them.

Vidcund races into the ocean and starts washing his body, hoping to cleanse himself of all Loki germs. After a few minutes of intense scrubbing, Vidcund sits down in the shallow water, giving a sigh of relief, though his expression is still filled with disgust.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

Eeeeewwww! _(shudders)_ I have a feeling that I'm going to be having nightmares about that for the rest of my life.

...

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

 _(shrugs)_ Eh, it was alright.

...

Pascal joins Vidcund in the ocean, watching as his brother washes his arms once again. "So, what do you think about what Lazlo did last night?" Pascal asks, "Pretty devious, huh?"

Vidcund shrugs, not bothering to look up from his washing, "It's not a big deal, it's not like he did anything catastrophic – I mean, it's not like we're big fans of Buzz. Remember how much he beat all of us up in high school?"

Pascal rolls his eyes, "Please! I got a bigger beating from a pineapple than I did from Buzz," he replies, noting the rather odd expression that has formed on Vidcund's face, "But that's not the point. The point is Lazlo didn't tell us about it, he completely left us in the dark and made us believe that we were voting off Loki! Face it Vid," Pascal continues, "Lazlo is a traitor and he should not be trusted. And if he thinks that I won't vote off my own brother to win a million simoleons, he's got another thing coming!"

Across the beach, Lazlo watches as his two brothers converse with each other on the shoreline. A sinking feeling forming in the young scientist's stomach as Pascal's mannerisms become more and more exaggerated. Lazlo sighs and lightly shakes his head, "Oh geez."

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

Last night I chose to vote with another group instead of with my brothers and Pascal got pretty mad. But hey, I way I see it, it's not my fault. I didn't come here to be dragged along, I came here to win. And if you got a problem with that, you can go! – Still, I wish I didn't have to go against him, but the way things are going now doesn't look promising.

 _Late Morning – The Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny)_

Olive has just woken up from her two hour snooze in the sun when she wanders over to the campfire, stopping in place when she notices something different about the set-up. "What is all this?" Olive asks Jenny, who is sitting by herself on a block of wood, holding her head up with her hands. Olive gestures down at the seven coconut plates of food that are situated on each of the stools surrounding the fire.

"Oh, sorry," Jenny apologizes, scratching her leg, "This is usually around the time when Johnny and Jill go to school, so I guess this is a force of habit for me."

"Well, there's no problem here," Olive says, taking a plate and eating next to her. "Married three times and not one of my husbands ever made me breakfast."

"With their luck they probably became breakfast," Circe comments from behind, taking a plate of food.

The Grim Reaper floats over, stopping in front of the group. He snaps his fingers when he notices the food.

"Aww, man! You mean I killed everything in the ocean for nothing?" the Grim Reaper shakes his black-hooded head. He shrugs, "Oh well. More for me!" he says, floating back over to the sea.

 **Grim Reaper  
** _"Death"/Likes Long Walks on the Beach_

It's no easy job being the Grim Reaper. I mean, you lose the flesh on your arms, you have to wear a dusty old robe, and people are usually terrified of you. But having the ability to determine whether or not something lives? I have to admit, that's pretty fun.

...

"Hey dad," Nervous Subject greets as he wades into the ocean. The Grim Reaper turns around, the young man catching him off-guard.

He tilts his head, clearly confused, "And you are…?"

"Your son," Nervous sighs.

The Grim Reaper bursts out laughing, "Haha! That's a good one," he tells Nervous, patting him on the back a bit, "You're on your way, kid."

 _Meanwhile: In the Woods_

Crystal is hiding behind a tree in the woods, watching as Erin ties a small stone carved object to a pile of leaves a few yards away.

"Oh my gosh," Crystal whispers excitedly into the camera, "Erin found an immunity idol and she doesn't even know that she found one!" Crystal awes, maneuvering around a few dead branches, "If I can get her to give it to me, then I'm in business – or as one might say, I'm _Open for Business_!" Crystal cracks, giving a few nervous chuckles before cupping her hands together and slouching down apologetically. "-Sorry," she apologizes.

Crystal steps out from behind the tree and slowly walks over to her. "Hey Erin," Crystal greets, "Uh, whatcha up to?" she asks, gazing down at Erin's work.

Erin smiles and ties another twig to the idol, "Nothing much, just making a voodoo doll," she informs the townie, "With it, I'll be able to make my victim cough up roaches."

Crystal scrunches her eyebrows, "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because," Erin begins, "Then he'll dump his girlfriend and start liking me," she tells her, "Now hand me that leaf over there."

"Uh, okay," Crystal shrugs, grabbing the leaf and handing it to Erin. Crystal shakes her head, not bothering to give this weird project a second thought. "So uh…you do this often?"

"No," Erin states flatly, getting up from her spot on the ground and dusting off her hands, "I'd say about once a week. It's a good pastime."

"Oh, neat," Crystal replies, nodding in mild interest as she turns towards the camera and lowers her voice to a whisper, "This is working well. I think she likes me."

 **Erin Beaker  
** _Self-Proclaimed Psychic_

I don't like Crystal. _(crosses arms)_ I'm honestly really surprised that she hasn't figured it out by now. But I think she will soon. It's amazing how oblivious some people can be. If this is a norm for her, then she won't last five minutes here.

 _Reward Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, gesturing in the first tribe of sims towards a mat on the beach. The Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny) walk over and take their place on the mat, Circe jabbing their tribe flag into the sand. Vidcund Sucks wanders into the area, stopping on their mat as well. "The Death Conquerors Plus Jenny getting their first look at the new Vidcund Sucks tribe," the host narrates, "General Buzz voted out at the last tribal council."

"Now why am I not surprised?" Olive speaks up.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together, "Today we're going to be doing an old Survivor favorite…today we're eating roaches!"

Pascal scrunches his forehead, "We?"

"Okay fine, just you guys," the Unsavory Charlatan states as almost everyone on the beach groans. "The first team to finish their entire plate of roaches wins a reward. Do you want to know what you're playing for?" he asks; both tribes nod. "The first team to finish wins this five pound bag of rice," the Unsavory Charlatan says, picking up a burlap sack which has 'stolen goods' written on the side of it.

"So let me get this straight," Vidcund chimes in, "We have to eat shitty food in order to win good food?"

"Yes," the Unsavory Charlatan answers, putting the rice down on the beach, "Now, since the Death Conquerors have one extra member, they'll be sitting someone out. Who do you guys pick, keeping in mind that you can't sit out the same person in back-to-back challenges?"

The Death Conquerors look amongst each other before Circe raises her hand. "-Me," she volunteers.

"Alright. Circe, take a spot on the sit out bench," the host instructs, "Everyone else, gather around the tables. This challenge is about to begin!"

A few minutes later, both teams are gathered around their respective table, glancing down at the uncovered plate of roaches that is situated in front of them. "Alright, for reward, survivors ready?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks, "Go!"

Crystal, Jenny, and Olive slowly begin eating from the Death Conqueror's plate while Vidcund Sucks continues to stare down at the moving insects, clearly grossed out.

"This is disgusting," Loki comments, looking down at the brown roaches, "I feed Nervous better crap than this!"

Next to him, Pascal whistles. "That's some high quality crap!"

"For once I actually agree with Loki," Vidcund speaks up, holding onto his stomach hoping to prevent himself from vomiting, "Any creature that can survive a nuclear holocaust does not belong in my mouth."

Pascal giggles as he plays with one of the roaches, allowing the insect to walk all over his hand. "Pick it up you guys or you're never going to win the reward!" the Unsavory Charlatan barks at the tribe of men.

"The host is right, we should at least try to win this," Ajay Loner speaks up, stepping towards the plate and looking down at the roaches.

"No way," Loki tells him, "I'm not going to risk losing one of my neat points! You'd have to be a complete slob to eat these!"

"Uh…guys?" Pollination Tech #9 begins, gesturing over to Lazlo who has just devoured the entire plate.

Lazlo burps as his tribemates stare at him in shock, "I'm sorry, was I supposed to wait for everyone?"

"Well, I can't believe I'm saying this, but the guys win the reward challenge!" the Unsavory Charlatan declares, walking over to their table and throwing his hands over his head. "The rice is yours!"

"Yes!" Pascal shouts in celebration, "We suck moderately less!" he shouts as several of his tribemates walk over to congratulate Lazlo.

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head before turning to the other tribe. "As for the Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny), I've got nothing for you. Head back to camp and I'll see you at the next immunity challenge." They nod, a few of them hanging their heads a bit as they trail back into the wilderness.

 _Nighttime – The Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny)_

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Field Researcher/Mother of Two_

When we got back to camp, a lot of the tribe was really discouraged. I'm proud of us, though. I thought we did as good of a job as we could've given the circumstance. Losing is never fun, but it's something that you have to get used to in life. Hopefully the rest of the tribe understands that.

...

"Well that was a big disappointment," Circe states, plopping herself down in the shelter.

"You got that right," the Grim Reaper seconds, walking onto the campsite with the others close behind, "Gosh, I should've killed Lazlo when I had the chance!" The Grim Reaper turns to the left, noticing the horrified look that is now on Crystal's face. Behind her, Nervous is horrified as well. "Oh come on, you can find another boyfriend!" he tells her.

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

I don't know a lot of things, but I do know that Death is not someone that I should mess with. And neither is Circe, and neither is my mother. But if I don't take these risks and go for it, then why am I here? What is my purpose?

...

Circe wanders into the woods, stopping when she comes across two odd shaped trees near the waterfall. "I heard there are hidden immunity idols in this game," Circe tells the camera, "So I'm going to go look for them. I figure I may as well find them before some dumbass does."

Nearby, Crystal is coming back from the well, quickly ducking behind a tree when she sees Circe. "I was going to align myself with Circe," Crystal says into the camera as she attempts to go unnoticed, "But something more pressing caught my eye."

Crystal walks towards the beach, watching as Nervous Subject sits in a fetal position on the shoreline; his body shaking. She flashes the camera a troubled look before making her way over to Nervous. "Hey, uh – are you okay?" she asks.

"I don't like it here, there's too much sun!" Nervous shouts, unable to control his volume, "I want to go home! No wait, no I don't," he concludes, rocking his body back and forth.

Crystal smiles and sits down next to him. "Hey, it's okay. You can do this," she reassures him, "I mean if anyone could survive in harsh conditions it's you."

"You think so?" Nervous squeaks, shaking a little less, "I don't know. I'm starting to think I'm not cut out for this. I'm pretty sure they only cast me because I have a tragic backstory."

"Look, it doesn't matter why they cast you, the point is that you're here and the fact that you're here means that you have a chance to win the money and get those scented candles."

Nervous nods, "Well, that would be nice," he states, "I hear they make cinnamon ones now." Nervous gazes out at the ocean before turning back to her, "Thanks Crystal."

 _Day 5_

Almost all of Vidcund Sucks is fast asleep in the bamboo shelter; Vidcund sleeping as far away from Loki as physically possible. Outside of the shelter, Pollination Tech #9 sits alone in front of the fire – arranging some of the twigs delicately with a stick. He sighs, propping his head up with his hand as he gazes into the flame.

 **Pollination Tech #9 Smith  
** _Retired Pollination Technician/Alien_

I woke up today and I was feeling kind of down. I'm the only 89 year old out here, so I kinda feel like I have something to prove. To me this isn't so much about the money as it is about the challenge. I want to prove that I still got it, and I don't think that I've been given the opportunity yet to do so.

...

"Hey," Ajay greets, walking up behind Pollination Tech #9 and taking a seat down across from him, "You're up early."

"Yeah," Pollination Tech #9 nods, "When you're old as I am you wake up multiple times during the night," he tells him.

Ajay sighs, picking up a spare twig, "Ah, so it's kind of like being in the family bin."

"I guess," Pollination Tech #9 says, "What's it like in there anyway?"

"Cold and lonely," Ajay responds, "But check out this weird shaped tree mail that we got this morning," he states, pulling out a log-shaped piece of cardstock from behind his back.

Pollination Tech #9 grabs the piece of mail from Ajay and looks it over. "-Oh no."

 _Immunity Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as both tribes walk onto the beach and onto their respective tribe mats, a collective groan sounding from the residents when they see the object that is situated behind the host. "Who's ready to get to today's immunity challenge?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks.

"- No one," Vidcund sassily answers.

"Alright then! First thing's first, I gotta take back immunity from the Death Conquerors," the host states, heading towards the tribe that is standing on the purple mat.

"Uh, you never gave us immunity," Circe speaks up, crossing her arms, "You just told the guys that they lost the challenge."

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head and begins mumbling under his breath. "Anyway!" he continues, bringing his hands together as his cheery attitude returns a moment later, "Today both tribes are going to be participating in an old Three Lakes favorite-"

"-Here it comes," Vidcund states with an eye roll.

"-Log rolling!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, gesturing both teams over to the giant rolling log that is floating in the ocean. "Here's how it works. Five people from each tribe will be selected to participate. One by one, one person from each tribe will face off against one person from the opposing tribe. Whoever falls first loses. If your hands touch the log at any point during the challenge, you're done. The first tribe to score three points wins. The losers go to tribal council where after only six days someone will become the second person voted out of this game," the host informs him.

"Now, since only five people are participating, at least one person will sit out from each tribe. Since the Death Conquerors have two extra members, two people will sit this challenge out, keeping in mind that Circe must participate this time. I'll give you a moment to decide, then we'll get started."

Pascal turns towards his team, who is standing in a circle near the dock. "Well this seems simple enough," he states.

"Dork is right," Loki bluntly states, arms folded, "Oldie, you're out!" he declares, pointing to Pollination Tech #9.

"Come on, don't you think that's kind of unfair?" Vidcund voices next to him.

"No, I think that's the smartest decision strategy-wise," Loki argues, "But I guess I shouldn't have expected someone of your caliber to see that."

Nearby, Pollination Tech #9 nudges Ajay in the side. "I need this. I need to do this," he whispers to him.

Ajay nods, "Okay." Ajay walks forward and pretends to trip over his foot. "Oww! Oh man! I think I injured my foot! I can't do the challenge!" he shouts, "I'll have to sit this one out until my foot conveniently heals after it's over!" he states, walking towards the sit out bench, exchanging smiles with Pollination Tech #9 as he walks past him.

Pascal shakes his head as all of the remaining tribe mates watch this rather bizarre display unfold; strange looks on their faces. "There goes a true hero," Pascal awes.

"Alright, everyone gather around. The challenge is about to begin!" The Unsavory Charlatan announces as both tribes line up on opposing sides of the dock. "It appears as though Jenny and Olive are sitting out for the Death Conquerors and the new guy is sitting out for Vidcund Sucks."

"-I'm telling you, their strategy is better," Loki mumbles, nudging Vidcund in the side.

"Please stop talking to me," Vidcund groans.

"The first matchup for today will be Loki for Vidcund Sucks and Erin for the Death Conquerors!" the Unsavory Charlatan proclaims as both of them walk up to opposite ends of the log. "Remember, the first one to fall off the log loses and the winning member scores the point!"

Erin sighs and looks up at her brother as they slowly step on the log. "Alright Loki. Be nice," she says.

"You really don't know anything about me, do you, sis?" Loki smirks.

"For immunity, survivors ready? Go!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, throwing his hand down. Loki and Erin start rolling on the log. After a few moments of balancing, Loki sighs and moves towards his sister.

"This is taking too long," he says, reaching out and shoving Erin off the log.

She screams and falls into the ocean; immediately popping her head above the water. "Hey, that's cheating!" Erin complains.

"-Technically no," the Unsavory Charlatan corrects her, "I just said that you couldn't touch the _log_ with your hands, I never said that you couldn't touch each other."

"Uh, can you please rephrase that last sentence?" Pascal chimes.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns towards the others, "The point goes to Vidcund Sucks!" he announces as the next two sims in line step up.

"Wow Loki, great job!" Lazlo congratulates him as Loki rejoins the group, "We might actually have a chance at winning this thing-"

"Up next is Vidcund and Circe!" the Unsavory Charlatan yells.

"-Or maybe not," Lazlo completes.

Vidcund steps forward, watching as Circe brushes some hair away from her face as she turns her head, seemingly moving in slow motion. She readjusts her bathing suit bottom.

"Vidcund, focus!" Pascal shouts, hoping to snap his brother out of it. Vidcund starts to drool. "-Oh _great_!" Pascal sarcastically adds.

"Go!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts as Circe and Vidcund start to face off; Vidcund's mind clearly elsewhere.

"Drop him, Circe!" Loki shouts from the sidelines, causing Vidcund to immediately snap back into reality.

He looks to Loki, "Hey! We're on the same team!" he reminds him.

Loki shrugs, "So?" he takes a deep breath and cups his hands around his mouth. "Dump him, babe! Just like you did the first time!"

Vidcund glares at Loki and turns back, feeling himself starting to wobble.

"Give in Viddy, you can't beat me," Circe says, smirking at his discomfort.

"Whoa-!" Vidcund falls forward and knocks into Circe, causing both of them to fall into the water. They throw their heads up, catching air above the ocean. Vidcund turns to Circe, giving a nervous laugh, "Well, you called it." Circe huffs and pushes him away from her.

"Vidcund fell first, the point goes to the Death Conquerors!" the Unsavory Charlatan calls out.

Vidcund sighs from the water. "Well, I guess that's fair."

"-We're now tied one-to-one," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "Next up we have Crystal taking on the Human Garbage Disposable!" he announces, gesturing to Lazlo.

Lazlo huffs and rolls his eyes, turning his back away from the host, "Oh sure! A guy eats from the garbage twice, and you just can't let it go!"

" _Twice_?" Pascal repeats, scrunching his forehead as Crystal and Lazlo step on the log together.

She smiles, "Good luck, Lazlo."

"Thanks," Lazlo beams. Behind him, Erin is glaring.

"Go!" the Unsavory Charlatan throws his arm down, initiating the showdown. Lazlo and Crystal start moving on the log. Five minutes pass and they are both still standing.

"Crystal!" the Grim Reaper shouts from the sideline, "Do you want me to kill him so you win?"

"No!" Crystal shouts back, not having to give the situation a second thought, "Don't kill anyone!"

"'You sure?" the Grim Reaper yells, "Cause if I don't start killing things soon, I'm going to get all jittery."

"Don't kill my boyfriend!" Crystal shouts out, shifting her focus back to the challenge.

The Grim Reaper sighs and crosses his arms. "Well she's no fun!" he grumbles.

All of a sudden, Lazlo starts coughing. He hits his open palm against his stomach and hacks up a roach, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the ocean. Lazlo heaves his head above the water and looks towards the dock. "Does this mean we lose the challenge?" he asks.

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head, "No. We still have to wait one more round for Pascal to blow it," he states.

"Hey!" Pascal chimes, insulted.

"Alright," the host continues, "The score is two to one. If the Death Conquerors score one more point, they win. Up next it's Nervous Subject versus…" the Unsavory Charlatan pauses and sighs, "…Pascal."

"Yes!" Pascal shouts, turning to his teammates, "Don't worry – I got this guys! I am the master of agility!" Pascal steps forward, "Whoa!" he trips and falls face-first on the dock. Pascal quickly springs up and dusts himself off. "It's okay, I'm alright everybody!"

Vidcund face-palms and shakes his head, "- You didn't even trip over anything."

Pascal walks over to the log and takes his position across from Nervous.

"For immunity-" the Unsavory Charlatan begins.

"Isn't this whole thing for immunity?" Ajay asks from the sit out bench.

The Unsavory Charlatan groans and waves his hand. "-Just go," he commands.

Nervous and Pascal start balancing on the log. After ten minutes, neither of them has fallen off. "You really think you can beat me, Nervous?" Pascal calls out, smiling next to him, "I gave birth…as a _man_!"

"I got electrocuted!" Nervous playfully counters, smiling as well.

"I invented a Career Reward item…on the toilet!"

"Well, I made out with a tree!"

"I think Loki is hot!"

" _What?_ " Vidcund's voice blares from the sidelines.

Nervous steps back, throwing his arms down, "Well, he's got me beat." Nervous smiles and does a backflip into the water.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns to both tribes once Nervous has returned to the dock. "So here's where we stand: The Death Conquerors and Vidcund Sucks are both tied at two points each. Whoever wins this final matchup wins immunity for their tribe," he tells them, "Up last is the Grim Reaper versus Pollination Tech #9."

Pollination Tech #9 steps forward and looks up, finding himself face-to-face with the Grim Reaper.

"Well, this won't take long," the Grim Reaper sneers. Behind him, Ajay flashes Pollination Tech #9 a thumbs-up from the sideline.

"Oh come on, you honestly expect me to believe that the eighty-nine year old man knows how to beat Death?" Loki remarks, crossing his arms in front of his torso.

"He's made it this far through life, so why not?" Pascal says.

Pollination Tech #9 weakly nods, "Thanks Pascal," he waves to Jenny before he gets on the log.

"This is it, for immunity…survivors ready? Go!" the Unsavory Charlatan yells, throwing his hand down.

Both tribes cheer as the two remaining sims face off in the log roll. "You can do it, PT!" Pascal shouts from the dock, "Just use your alien powers!"

"I don't have alien powers!" Pollination Tech #9 shouts back.

"Oh," Pascal replies, somewhat struck by this news, "Then what am I buying insurance for?"

"Give it up, old man," the Grim Reaper says as Pollination Tech #9 tries to regain his balance. "There's no way a weakling like you could beat me!"

"Hey, I beat up the toughest guy in the neighborhood, at least give me some credit," Pollination Tech #9 speaks, catching his balance, "And he beat up four of the members of my team!"

The Grim Reaper turns to the sidelines and eyes the four scientists. "No offense to them, but that's really not all that surprising."

"Hey! Don't make fun of our weak nerd bodies!" Pascal fires back, insulted.

"-Face it, oldie," the Grim Reaper continues, "You're done."

Pollination Tech #9 sighs and looks down at the waves. "You know what? You're right," he says, inching towards the center of the log, "So how about a congratulatory hug?" he asks as Pollination Tech #9 slowly inches towards the Grim Reaper.

The Grim Reaper steps back, cowering at the alien's open arms. "What? No! What the hell do you think you're doing?" he walks back further, "No!" The Grim Reaper steps back once more, finding only air beneath him. He falls off the log and into the ocean.

"Death has fallen! Vidcund Sucks wins immunity!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, walking over and handing Pollination Tech #9 the challenge immunity idol. The guys cheer and begin to surround him.

"Whoo! Go PT!" Lazlo shouts.

"Yeah, great job man," Ajay seconds, giving a nod.

Behind Ajay, Loki crosses his arms, "Well, you suck less than Vidcund," he states, not bothering to make eye contact.

"Believe me, in his eyes, that's a compliment," Vidcund remarks next to him.

On the other side of the dock, the Death Conquerors stand in silence. "Well, you can't win them all," Jenny finally speaks, hoping to cheer up her teammates.

"Yeah, I guess Jenny's right," Crystal says to her tribemates, meeting their gazes, "It was only a matter of time before we lost." Crystal turns her head, noticing Erin's gaze is elsewhere. Crystal pauses, following her tribemate's line of vision to the other side of the dock. Crystal's eyes widen as she watches Lazlo cough up a few more roaches as he stands there.

"Oh my gosh," she speaks suddenly, immediately turning her attentions to Erin as all of the pieces begin falling into place, "The roaches, the stares, that voodoo doll – you were talking about me and Lazlo!" she exclaims, her face steaming, "You're trying to break us up!" she shouts, the ruckus causing everyone to flock over to them.

Lazlo tilts his head, clearly confused, "The what now?"

Nervous quickly steps between the two women. "Uh, guys? Maybe we should let this go," he advises.

"No, don't do that!" the Unsavory Charlatan states, "This'll get us more viewers!"

"Why are you two even dating anyway?" Erin storms, glaring at Crystal, "You don't have any chemistry with each other! He's much more compatible with me than you!"

Nearby, all of Vidcund Sucks continue to watch the fight, "Geesh, what kind of world do we live in where two respectable females fight over that guy?" Loki needlessly wonders, pointing at Lazlo who is crouched down in front of the ocean, holding his stomach.

Lazlo groans as he coughs up a few more roaches. "This is almost as bad as the Young Scientist Awards."

"Well I hope you enjoyed your time here, Crystal, because by this time tomorrow you'll be back to your cushy lifestyle!" Erin shouts, her hands on her hips, "Believe me, I'll make sure of it!"

"Is that so?" Crystal says, stepping towards her; Erin nods and stands up straighter. "Well, in that case, game on, Beaker!"

 _Day 6_

 **Olive Specter  
** _Retired Serial Killer_

Ever since we lost the challenge, things have been going downhill here. Crystal and Erin won't speak to each other, so it's really divided the tribe. If we ever want to restore peace here again, then we're going to have to cut one of them. Unfortunately for us, the tribe is split on which one.

...

Circe, Jenny, Olive, and the Grim Reaper are sitting in front of the campfire going over their voting plans for tonight. "We need to get rid of Crystal, she's the better option," Circe tells the group, "She's a hidden threat; she's smart, good at challenges, and she gets along with almost everyone."

"I agree with Circe," Olive replies with a nod, "The girl knows how to play and she does it well."

"Yeah," Jenny says, "But it's so early on, and Crystal has really been helping out our tribe," she weighs in, "Plus, call me crazy, but Erin kind of scares me."

"Yeah, that Erin is a nut," the Grim Reaper agrees, polishing his scythe. "We seem pretty split on this decision, so we're going to need a deciding vote," he says, bringing his boney hand up to his hood in a ponder, "Now does anyone know who that would be…?"

 _Meanwhile: In the Woods_

"Do you see any?" Crystal shouts up the tree, using her hand to block out the sun from her eyes. She watches as Nervous attempts to knock a few coconuts off its branches.

"No!" Nervous shouts back, "I think this is the same one we were at yesterday!"

"Alright! I'll try this one!" Crystal yells, climbing up the tree adjacent to him.

"Nervous!" Circe shouts, racing over to him once he steps down from the tree; Nervous screams. "Thank God I found you! We're voting off Crystal tonight," she says, catching her breath.

"We are?" Nervous asks, subtly looking up at Crystal in the nearby tree, "Oh…great."

"Yes, it _is_ great," Circe seconds, "Because you and I are going to be an unstoppable force in this game that will take us all the way to the end! You will win me the money, and then maybe I'll let you go."

Nervous perks up a bit, "Really?"

"Well, you know…I'll think about it," Circe says, thinking this over once more. "Just vote for Crystal tonight, or you're in trouble, got it?" Circe threatens, her demeanor instantly changing.

Nervous steps back and cowers. "Got it," he squeaks.

"Great. Then it's all settled," Circe says, her tone cheery. "See you tonight," she states, quickly exiting the area.

Nervous stands in silence, his expression troubled as he ponders what he should do.

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

I know earlier I was open to taking risks, but now I'm not so sure. I know to a lot of people this is a game, but to me, this decision might just be my life. Now what am I going to do with it?

 _Tribal Council_

All seven members of the Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny) walk into the tribal council area and place their belongings near the empty stools. "Go ahead and grab a torch and dip it into the flame," the Unsavory Charlatan instructs, pointing to the stack of wooden torches that are situated against the wall behind the group, "In this game fire represents life, once your fire is gone, so are you."

The seven tribe members each take turns dipping their torches into the flame, before taking their seats down in front of the fire. The Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together, facing them.

"Well, I must say, I am surprised that you guys are here," the host tells the tribe, "I thought for sure the guys were going to blow that one, but they sure learned how to work together as a team-"

"No, they didn't," Circe interrupts, "Lazlo ate all the roaches in the first challenge and the immunity challenge was way more individual-based than team-based," she crosses her arms.

"Yes well, uh…" the Unsavory Charlatan begins playing with his hands. "-Moving on. Erin, what was that whole thing that happened between you and Crystal?"

"Crystal was upset because I made a voodoo doll to split up her and her boyfriend," Erin states, her arms crossed, "And she'll be happy to know that I burned it, so that I could watch it go down in flames just like her relationship with Lazlo will!"

"Uh-huh," the Unsavory Charlatan says, struggling to follow, "So, just to clarify, this Lazlo that you're talking about is the same one that's on the other team, right?"

Erin nods, "Right."

The Unsavory Charlatan sighs and shakes his head. "Man, you guys really need to expand your town and open yourselves up to more options," he mutters to himself. "Anyway, it's clear to me that this tribe seems to be divided over this – and I'm only saying this because I watched all of the footage from your camp today before I came here," he adds. "So Olive, what are you basing your vote on tonight?"

"I plan on voting for the person who is the biggest threat in this competition," Olive answers him, "Because I don't want to risk losing a million simoleons to someone who could easily beat me at the end."

"Interesting," the Unsavory Charlatan states, "Jenny, what about you?"

"Well, I'm going to vote for the person who I'm concerned the most about," Jenny tells him, "Thirty-one days is a long time and if you're already losing your mind on day five then it's time to go."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, "Both solid arguments," he says, "Nervous, you haven't said much, do you know who you're voting for?"

Nervous lifts his head up and looks to Crystal, who is sitting next to him; she gives a small smile. Nervous immediately looks to his right, and sees Circe glaring directly at him. He leans back, his arms shaking. "Uh…yeah," he answers. "I-I think so."

"Great! Cause with that, it is time to vote," the Unsavory Charlatan announces. "Circe, you're up first."

Circe nods and gets up from her stool. She writes Crystal's name down on the piece of parchment and holds it up to the camera. "Look sweetie, it's nothing personal. I just don't want to play with someone who's close to my level. I know you'll understand." After Circe sits down, the Grim Reaper floats over to the voting station.

He makes Erin's name appear with a wave of his scythe and holds up his vote to the camera. "Erin, you're a bit of a nut ball. Good luck with all your problems, kid."

The Grim Reaper sits back down. After Jenny and Olive both cast their votes, Erin approaches the voting station and scribbles Crystal's name down. "Crystal, this isn't because I think you're awesome at this game, this is because I just don't like you," Erin tells the camera, she folds her vote in half and places it in the box.

Crystal then gets up and writes Erin's name down on the parchment. She holds her vote up to the camera. "I know this is going to be close, and the odds might not be in my favor," Crystal says, "But no matter what happens, at least I'll be away from you."

She gives a wave to Nervous as she sits back down; Nervous stands up and slowly makes his way over to the voting station. He stands in front of the piece of parchment and sighs. "What do I do? What do I do? Oh God!" Nervous cries, putting his head down on the table and placing his hands over it.

After fifteen minutes of waiting around, Nervous finally returns to his seat, releasing a big sigh when he sits down on his stool.

"I'll go get the votes," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, walking over to the voting station and retrieving the box. He stops at the podium and places his hands on top of the lid. "If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and they would like to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Crystal turns and looks to Erin, who gives her a glare back.

"Alright then, once the votes are read, the decision is final, the person voted off will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes," the Unsavory Charlatan states, reaching into the box.

"First vote – Crystal," the Unsavory Charlatan reads as Nervous starts to shake in his seat. The host reaches into the box and retrieves another vote. "Second vote – Erin," he says, "That's one vote Crystal, one vote Erin."

From their seats, both Crystal and Erin nod.

"Third vote – Erin," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, grabbing another piece of parchment, "Fourth vote – Crystal," he says yet again, "We're tied once more with two votes for both Erin and Crystal."

The Unsavory Charlatan sighs before reaching into the voting box and unfolding another vote. "Fifth vote – Crystal," he states, reaching into the box and unfolding another one. "Ah, just as I expected. The sixth vote is for Erin," he announces, turning over the next piece of parchment.

"So, here's where we stand," the Unsavory Charlatan tells them, "Right now we are tied with three votes cast for both Crystal and Erin. If this last vote is for anyone but the two of you, we are going to have a revote. If not, one of the two of you will become the second person voted out of this game," he states, "I'll read the vote."

The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the final vote and opens it up, glancing down at the piece parchment. "The second sim voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition is…Erin," the host tells them, revealing the final vote. "Erin, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Erin stands up, clearly shocked as Crystal gives a sigh of relief, putting her hands over her mouth. Circe turns to Nervous, glaring daggers at him as he looks down at the floor.

"I'm not your slave Circe," Nervous speaks up, finding the courage to speak, "Not here," he states.

"Good luck guys, minus Crystal," Erin says, grabbing her torch and placing it in front of the Unsavory Charlatan, "Kick butt."

"Erin, the tribe has spoken," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks, snuffing out Erin's torch. "It's time for you to go." Erin nods, giving a quick wave before exiting the premises and walking into the night.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns back towards the others, his hands behind his back. "Well, after this tribal council, it's clear to me that this is going to be one crazy season. The question is, can you keep up before you get kicked out?" he wonders, allowing the castaways to ponder this for a moment. "Now grab your stuff and head back to camp. Goodnight."

The six remaining tribe members grab their belongings and exit the tribal council area.

 **Erin Beaker  
** _Closing Words_

It sucks being out so early, but at least I went out with as much class as possible. I don't regret doing what I did – frankly, Crystal deserved it and she definitely doesn't deserve a million simoleons. I'd like to thank everyone who supported me on this journey and I wish my brother luck, even though I am probably never going to forgive him for pushing me off that log.

 _Next time on Survivor…_

… _The fight for a million simoleons continues and people get frantic…_

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

I don't want to do it. I don't want to have to resort to niceness. But it might be the only chance I have at winning this game. _(shudders)_ It makes me sick just thinking about it, but it's the only way I can lure Nervous into a false sense of trust. Then once he's onboard with me, I'll cut him at the final three, and take the money. It's genius, really.

… _Pascal has a plan…_

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

A lot of people tend to under-estimate me because of my goofiness. But if a guy has two PhDs, you gotta think he's got a plan up his sleeve. I mean, I could win lots of challenges, I could hide behind a bigger threat, I could vote off all three of my siblings and they would never see it coming. God, it's great to be a Curious!

… _and Loki has another!_

Loki is standing in front of the campfire, crossing his arms at Vidcund. "No wonder why you're hot, take off your damn clothes!" he shouts.

Everyone on the campsite turns and looks at Loki, shocked.

 _All that and more, next time!_


	3. Episode 3: And Now There's Drugs

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Three –** _And Now There's Drugs_

All six of the remaining members of the Death Conquerors walk onto their campsite and begin putting away their belongings. Nervous is standing away from the group near the shelter, ducking his head as Circe walks by, attempting to avoid her glares. Crystal walks over and hugs him.

"Thank you," she whispers to him, "And I hope you know, I got your back."

Nervous nods, unable to meet her gaze. "I know," he states.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Thank God! It would've been such a slap in the face if I turned out to be the first person voted off of this tribe. _(breathes a sigh of relief)_ – Maybe now I can finally start enjoying things here.

 _Day 7_

Circe is sitting in front of the campfire the following morning, poking the diminishing flame with a stick. She turns to the camera and lowers her voice to a whisper, her teammates still asleep behind her. "So Erin was voted out last night, which sucks because I wasn't a part of it," she tells them, "These people here, they know how to play, and the biggest challenge for me right now is getting to the merge. I know I can mastermind the guys, so once we merge, I'm golden. But until then, I might have to play the nice card."

Circe sighs, watching as a few of her tribemates get up from out of the shelter and retrieve water. Nervous wanders over to the campfire and nudges Circe from behind.

"Hey," he shyly greets.

Circe narrows her eyes at him. "Hello," she says, stiff as a board; her expression cold.

"Look, about yesterday," Nervous begins, "I didn't mean to betray you, I just thought that keeping Crystal was the right decision and that it would better help us in the long run," Nervous explains, "Now that it's over, I just hope that we can put all this behind us, get back on track, and really focus on winning this game. So, what do you say?" he wonders, "Do you forgive me?"

Circe nods, clearly not paying any of this as she rests her head in her hand.

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

I don't want to do it. I don't want to have to resort to niceness. But it might be the only chance I have at winning this game. _(shudders)_ It makes me sick just thinking about it, but it's the only way I can lure Nervous into a false sense of trust. Once he's onboard with me, I'll cut him at the final three, and take the money. It's genius, really.

...

"Alright. I forgive you," Circe says, sporting a fake smile before getting up from off of log and brushing the dirt off her legs. "But _never_ touch me again," Circe states, pointing her finger directly at the test subject in warning.

Nervous nods and gulps. "Of course. Sorry Circe," he apologizes.

 _Morning – Vidcund Sucks_

Pollination Tech #9, Ajay, and the Curious brothers are lying down asleep in the shelter while Loki stands hunched over the shoreline, vomiting into the ocean. He moans and holds the sides of his head, his face red and sweaty.

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

I woke up this morning feeling violently ill. These weather conditions are terrible. It's only been a week out here and I already feel the worst that I have ever felt in my life. I can't sleep, I can't keep anything down – at this rate, I'm probably going to vomit on someone. _(looks around)_ – Speaking of which, where's Vidcund?

...

Loki sighs and moves his body into the ocean as one of his tribemates wanders into the woods behind him. " _I want to give up so bad, but I can't let them beat me. I can't let this illness bring me down,"_ Loki narrates, _"I just got to act like everything is normal, because believe me, if anyone on this tribe finds out that I'm sick, that's only going to make them want to vote me out more,"_ Loki says, tearing up a bit, _"And I gotta win. There's really no choice."_

 _Meanwhile: In the Woods_

Pascal walks up to the well, holding a few empty canisters in his arms. He smiles as he takes a deep breath, basking in the fresh island air around him. Pascal sighs and pulls off the wooden well cover, exposing the fresh water beneath it. He reaches his hand in, stopping when his hands slide across a strange and unfamiliar surface. "What the-?" Pascal says into the silence, slowing pulling the object up, removing it from the well. Pascal stares down at the rolled up piece of paper. He scans the area before unrolling it and reading the message inside.

"'Congratulations! You have found a clue to the hidden immunity idol,'" Pascal reads, "Sweet!" he whisper-exclaims, looking around once more before continuing on with the message, "'If safety is what you seek, uncover the X at the highest peak.'" Pascal nods, pondering this clue over a bit. His face lights up. "You know what they say," Pascal tells the camera as he takes off towards the other side of the woods, ""If you give a nerd a puzzle, you're guaranteed that he's going to solve it!'"

Pascal stops in center of the forest and gazes up at the coconut tree that is towering above him. He grabs onto its truck and begins to climb. "You know, this may surprise you," Pascal narrates, "But not a lot of people have given me credit for having any kind of intelligence since I had my kid," he tells the camera, "But instead of moping about it and trying to change people's minds, I've just decided to run with it. I noticed the goofier I act, the less people think I'm a threat," Pascal says, climbing up higher into the tree's branches as he sticks his hand into the largest one, "I came here day one, and I knew what half of these people were thinking: 'Pascal can't do this, he's an idiot! Pascal can't win a million simoleons,'" Pascal says, reaching behind the branch and untying the idol with his free hand, "-But I don't know…I just might."

Pascal smiles as he holds the idol in his hand. "WOOHOO!" Pascal shouts from the tree top, holding the idol up towards the sky in celebration. _"I'm not telling anyone about this,"_ Pascal informs the camera, lowering his voice to a whisper _, "Not even my brothers. This is my game to win…or lose,"_ he says, pushing the idol into his pocket as he heads back down the tree trunk, "These people really have no idea that they are about to be outplayed by a 'dumbass!'" Pascal declares, giving an enthusiastic smile and two thumbs up before walking back onto the campsite.

 _A Few Hours Later_

Vidcund is wading in the ocean with Lazlo, collecting food for the day. Vidcund crouches down towards the sand and picks up a stray fish, a confused look forming on his face. "Uh…why is everything dead in the ocean?" he asks, gesturing below at the dead fish that are now floating on the shoreline.

Lazlo shrugs, "Does it matter?" he asks, "Cause it just saves us an extra step."

After thinking this over, Vidcund nods as Pollination Tech #9 and Ajay walk over to them with Loki trailing slowly behind, the sun beating heavily down on the campsite. Vidcund groans and quickly holds his hand up to his face, attempting to block the sun from his eyes. "Geez, it must be over a hundred degrees out," Vidcund states, "Even mornings back home weren't this rough. I feel like I'm on fire," Vidcund comments, attempting to fan some fresh air into his shirt.

"No wonder why you're hot," Loki storms next to him, his forehead on fire as well, "Take off your damn clothes!" he rages. Everyone on the beach turns and looks at Loki, shocked. Loki steps back a bit, still trying to act casual. He starts to sniffle.

Vidcund shakes his head. "No!" he answers, arms crossed over his grandpa ensemble, "I prefer to dress conservatively."

"-And that's going to cause you to get heat stroke," Loki says, struggling to keep his head up, "-On second thought, keep the clothes," he snarls.

Vidcund nods, tilting his head in confusion. "Uh…are you okay?"

Loki moves forward, catching himself from falling in the process. "I'm fine," he spits out, "STAY AWAY FROM MY WIFE!" he shouts, before quickly turning around and heading back towards the campfire, almost stumbling over his feet in the process.

Fifteen minutes later, the five of them are eating fish near the campfire while Loki sits away from the others in the corner of the shelter. Vidcund stops what he is doing and turns to Pascal, nudging him in the shoulder as he watches his rival continue to act distant.

"Do you notice something kind of off about Loki?" Vidcund asks his older brother, "He's acting really strange," Pascal raises his eyebrow, "I-I mean stranger than usual. You know, strange for _him_."

"I think you're just imagining things, Vid. He's fine," Pascal says, eating around the bone of his fish, "Well, as fine as he's ever going to be."

Vidcund turns back towards the shelter, his face filled with worry.

 _Reward Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, gesturing Vidcund Sucks towards their respective mat on the beach. The members of Vidcund Sucks walk onto their mat, Loki lagging significantly behind. He stops on the mat a few feet from Vidcund. "Vidcund Sucks getting their first look at the new Death Conquerors tribe," the Unsavory Savory continues as the Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny) wanders into the area, "-Erin voted out at the last tribal council."

Everyone on Vidcund Sucks turns and looks at Loki, expecting him to react. Loki says nothing and continues rubbing his shaking arms, suffering from a bad cause of the chills.

"Alright, so is everyone ready to get to today's reward challenge?" the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, turning to the twelve remaining sims; most of them nod. "Today we're going to be-"

All of a sudden, Loki collapses. Vidcund attempts to catch him, but only ends up cushioning his rival's fall as they both drop to the ground. Loki coughs and wrenches forward, throwing up all over Vidcund's torso. Loki collapses on his enemy, his face sweating. "Loki!" Circe screams out from the sideline, racing over to her husband as many others begin gathering around the fallen pair.

"EWW!" Vidcund shrieks, looking down at his now-tarnished clothing, "See? I told you he was sick!" he tells his brothers.

"-Never said sick, just said he was acting strange," Pascal corrects him, holding his finger up in point; Vidcund shoots him a glare.

"Loki!" Circe shouts once more, crouching down next to her husband; she gives Vidcund a glare, "What did you do to him?"

" _Me?_ " Vidcund squeaks, unable to believe what he is hearing, "What makes you think I did this?! I'm just a poor, unfortunate bystander!"

The Unsavory Charlatan weaves through the crowd, moving the contestants away from the scene. "Alright everyone, back away. We're going to have medical come in and look at him," the Unsavory Charlatan explains, before redirecting his attention to Vidcund, "And uh, you might want to take off your shirt," he advises.

A few minutes later, both tribes have returned to their mats and are pacing around, waiting to hear the news about their fellow neighbor. Vidcund has finally changed out of his everyday attire and is wearing his bathing suit. Pascal walks over to him.

"Hey Vidcund, lookin' good."

Vidcund sighs, his mouth in a line. "Don't make this weird," he states.

The Unsavory Charlatan walks back onto the beach smiling. He stops in front of the tribes, clasping his hands together. "Well, we have good news! Loki is going to be fine," he informs them, "He just has a small virus, which is something that we can easily treat with some powerful medication, so he won't have to prematurely leave the show!"

"-Of course," Vidcund huffs, rolling his eyes.

"-But obviously if we treat Loki, then Vidcund Sucks is going to have to pay the price. So, I'll make you guys a little deal," The Unsavory Charlatan begins, rubbing his palms together, "We'll give Loki meds, if you guys forfeit the reward challenge."

The five remaining members of Vidcund Sucks turn to each other and start mumbling in a huddle. Finally, after a few moments, Pascal pops his head up from the crowd. "Do we have to do anything?" he asks the host.

"Well, other than forfeit this challenge – no," the Unsavory Charlatan tells him, "But you guys will miss out on tons of physical exercise-"

"Yeah, we definitely forfeit," Pascal immediately says, not having to think twice.

"Okay then, we'll fix your teammate," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, "But I must warn you, these drugs have some pretty weird side effects, so he won't be the same for the next twenty-four hours-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Pascal waves the thought away, "Just give him the drugs."

"Well…okay."

 _Afternoon - The Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny)_

All six sims walk onto their campsite, each carrying a gigantic basket of food. "Man, that sure was scary," Jenny says, setting her basket down near the campfire, "Who knew island sickness could be that bad? I'm just happy that Loki's going to be okay." The others nod.

"Yeah, me too," Crystal states, stopping when she notices Circe gazing down into the distance. "Hey Circe, are you okay?" she asks.

Circe quickly shakes her head, hoping to erase all horrid thoughts from her mind. "What? Yeah, I'm fine," she replies, not bothering to look at her teammate. Circe slowly sets her basket down and walks into the woods.

"Geesh," the Grim Reaper speaks up, watching the young scientist's actions with his tribemates. "Let me tell you, I've been around for hundreds of years studying mannerisms and being exposed to the simlish language, and that girl is clearly not fine."

Olive nods, standing next to him. "You're right," she agrees, "Someone should go and talk to her."

"Yeah," Nervous seconds. All five of them look to each other, not one of them saying a word.

Finally, after five minutes of waiting, Crystal sighs and stands up. "I'll do it," she volunteers, heading into the woods.

The Grim Reaper breathes a sigh of relief, wiping away some imaginary sweat from his forehead. "Thank goodness. That girl is scary!"

"Circe?" Crystal calls out, stepping further into the woods, trying her best to avoiding any jagged tree branches. "Circe, where are you?" she presses further, moving forward towards the water well, "Are you near the waterfall?" she asks.

Crystal continues her trek into the woods, stopping when she spies Circe's figure crouched in front of a coconut tree; she is crying into her hands. "Circe, oh my gosh," Crystal awes, clearly concerned as she slowly moves towards her tribemate, "Are you okay?"

"Go away Vu," Circe speaks up, turning her head slightly, "I don't want to talk to you."

Crystal steps forward, cracking a small smile. "Heh. Good one," she replies, sitting down next to her. Crystal sighs, watching as Circe continues to cry, unsure of what to do or what to say. Finally, Crystal takes a deep breath, regaining her composure.

"You know Circe, it's okay to be upset, what happened to your husband was scary," Crystal recalls, "-But you don't have to face this alone, alright? It's okay to seek comfort from others; it's okay be human."

Circe sniffs, uncovering her hands slightly. "It's no use, we'll never win the money now!" she exclaims, "And now we're just a sob story that the entire world will see!"

Crystal pulls back a bit, her face filling with confusion. "Wait, _what_?" Crystal cries, " _That's_ why you're upset?" she questions, "Your husband almost dies and all you can think about is the million simoleons and how you guys will look on TV?!"

"Oh you're a Fortune sim as well, don't give me that bullshit!" Circe strikes back, turning towards her, "You should know by now the only reason why I'm here!"

"Unbelievable," Crystal states, pushing herself off of the ground, hoping to get as far away from Circe as possible, "I can't believe you!"

"Say what you will, Crystal," Circe speaks up, standing in place, "But I can tell you for a fact that you would push us all under the bus for a million simoleons!" she shouts as Crystal storms further away from her, passing by Nervous Subject in the process.

"Hey, what's going on-?" Nervous begins, looking behind in the process.

Crystal swiftly grabs him by the hand and leads him away from Circe. "Nothing much, it's just that your housemate is a nut!" she tells him.

Nervous rolls his eyes, "What else is new?"

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

Crystal is such a bitch. _(pauses and nods) -_ I like that. Well, so much for being nice, but these people already know the real me. And if I'm going to win this, then I'm going to win this game as myself.

 _Nighttime – Vidcund Sucks_

Vidcund is walking through the woods towards the campsite, stepping over a few twigs as he makes his way back to the others. "The worst thing about living on a desert island is having to poop in the woods," Vidcund narrates, talking to the camera, "These conditions may suck for me, but I swear Lazlo is in his element-Oomf!" Vidcund continues forward, slamming into Loki in the process. They both scream as Vidcund steps away from him, placing his hand on his chest, hoping to calm himself down.

"Geez! This island is gigantic!" Vidcund shouts, trying to catch his breath, "Why is it so hard for you to stay away from me?"

Loki steps back and looks around, a dazed look in his eyes. He stops and smiles at Vidcund, flashing his teeth as he starts to giggle. Before long, Loki erupts into a fit of maniacal laughter.

"Uh, are you okay?" Vidcund asks, his face shifting into a mix of both confusion and fear.

Loki nods before over-enthusiastically flopping down on the ground, leaning against a row of trees near the entrance of the woods. He turns slightly, barely catching Vidcund's image in the corner of his eye.

"I'm fine," Loki choruses, "Why don't you shut up?" he casually states, letting out a horrible cough. Vidcund cautiously wanders forward, clearly concerned as he sits down next to his rival. "-Oh God, I'm so fat!" Loki wails.

"Uh…okay," Vidcund states.

"Stupid Curious," Loki spits out, "Never even seen space! I've seen it. I've seen it one time!" Loki says, barely able to keep his head up as he sways back and forth. He over-exaggeratedly holds out his pointer finger in front of Vidcund's face.

Vidcund tilts his forehead. "Question: Are you drunk? And if so, where did you get the alcohol?" he asks, "And can I have some?"

Vidcund's eyes widen as Loki slowly moves forward, grabbing the sides of Vidcund's face with his hands and pushing his cheeks together. "You have such a nice face, I would kill for your face!" Loki tells him as Vidcund freezes in place, "But I don't have a face switcher!" Loki cries; he starts crying uncontrollably.

" _Look, I know I should probably just walk away,"_ Vidcund explains to the camera, now standing a ways away from his crying rival. _"But he's making less sense than Pascal right now. And that's the first time I've ever said that sentence!"_

A few minutes later, Vidcund is back sitting next to Loki, who is propping his head up against a tree so that he can look at him. "-You hate me," Loki states suddenly.

"Umm…well, yeah," Vidcund answers honestly.

"-I don't hate you," Loki responds, slurring a bit, sounding as though it hurts to spit these words out of his body.

Vidcund raises his eyebrows. "You don't?"

"No," Loki lightly shakes his head as he moves it up a bit, the light from the sky causing his eyes to shine. "-I think you're cute," he confesses, "Cute, cute, cute!" he spews out.

Vidcund freezes, these words shocking his entire body. Panicked and unable to handle any more of this situation, Vidcund quickly stands up and tries to walk away, but Loki latches onto his leg and tries to pull him back.

"No!" Loki shouts pleadingly, "Don't leave me! I need you!"

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

I always thought that I would break up their marriage, but not like this. Never like _this_! Can you just give me the money now? Cause I feel like I earned it!

 _Day 8_

Jenny is sitting near the campfire on the Death Conqueror's side of the beach, getting everything ready for the morning. Jenny turns to the camera and smiles, "I must say, I'm really starting to enjoy things here," she explains, feeling chirper by the minute, "I really think I'm starting to get into the groove of things. There's only one thing here that I get slightly irritated by, and it's standing right over there-" Jenny states, pointing a stick towards the shoreline where the Grim Reaper and Olive Specter are passionately making out with each other. Jenny turns back to the camera, wide-eyed. "Yeah…I don't get it either."

"-Hey Jenny, how's it going?" Circe asks, stepping into the shot. Circe turns around and looks at what the mother is staring at, "Ah, I see. At it again, huh?" Jenny nods. "-Eugh," Circe groans.

"I'll say," Crystal seconds, walking up behind them with Nervous, "Who knew Death was such a catch?"

"Ahh! My eyes!" Nervous screams, throwing his hands over his face, attempting to block out this scandalous sight. He takes an empty potato sack from the campsite and places it over his head. He sniffs the inside of it. "Ooh. This would make a great candle scent," he tells Crystal.

Circe steps forward, pulling a piece of blue parchment out from behind her back. "Well come on guys, we should get ready for today's challenge. Looks like this one is going to be pretty tough," she informs the group, revealing the parchment to them, which is shaped like an ocean wave.

The group looks at it and 'oohs.'

 _Morning – Vidcund Sucks_

"Hey," Ajay greets, sitting next to Pollination Tech #9, who is eating a handful of rice from an empty coconut shell near the campfire. Pollination Tech #9 hands Ajay one as well, "Thanks," he states, taking a seat next to the Curious brothers. Pascal throws his head back and chugs the rest of his rice down.

Pascal burps. "Man, there's nothing like stolen rice," he cooes; Lazlo nods. Next to him, Vidcund is frantically looking around the campsite, his legs shaking in place as he nervously plays with his hands. Pascal tilts his forehead, "Hey Vid, are you okay?" he questions.

"What? Yeah, of course!" Vidcund quickly responds, still shaking, "I-I mean, why wouldn't I be? This island is fantastic! It's great to be alive," Vidcund blurts out.

Pascal doubtfully narrows his eyebrows at him, "Well…okay."

All of a sudden, Loki plops down next to Vidcund and smiles as he stares off into space, doing circles with his head as drool seeps out from the corner of his mouth.

"Say what you will, but I like him better on drugs," Pascal says as Vidcund attempts to move away from Loki.

"I don't," Vidcund counters, "He never leaves me alone!"

"He _likes_ you!" Pascal chimes, moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

An uneasy feeling of fear drops into the pit of Vidcund's stomach. "Please, don't say that," he says as Loki continues to drool next to him.

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

Here's the thing about the Curious brothers: there's three of them. There's the dumbass, the hot one, the other one, and then there's me. And that guy's a JERK! _(starts laughing maniacally)_

Nearby, Vidcund is shaking his head at his rival with his brothers. "They really need to stop giving him confessionals," he states.

 _Immunity Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as both tribes walk onto the main area of the beach and stop on their respective tribe mats. The Unsavory Charlatan excitedly clasps his hands together. "So, are you guys ready to get to today's immunity challenge?" he asks the crowd. Everyone shrugs.

"Yeah, I guess," Circe states.

"Great!" the Unsavory Charlatan exclaims, "But first thing's first - Loki, how are you feeling today?"

Loki shrugs from the blue mat, seemingly back to normal. "Eh, I'm okay," he states as Vidcund keeps his distance from him.

"-And thus a lawsuit was avoided," the Unsavory Charlatan says, trailing off a bit. "Anyway, for today's immunity challenge, all twelve of you will race out into the ocean and retrieve three keys. All six members of your tribe must then swim back to the shore and bring those keys back to use all three of them to open up a box of puzzle pieces," the host instructs, "Then three of you must solve a life-sized Twikki puzzle. The first tribe to do so will win immunity. The losing tribe will head to tribal council where someone will become the third person voted out of this game," he explains. "Are there any questions?"

Pascal raises his head. "Why are all of these challenges Bon Voyage related?" he asks, "Also, do you think this bathing suit does a good job of showcasing my personality?" he wonders, doing a twirl in his red and blue swim trunks and sticking out his butt slightly. "Is he looking?" he asks Lazlo.

The Unsavory Charlatan stares at Pascal bizarrely for several moments before swiftly turning back to the others. "Well alright then, everyone line up, the challenge is about to begin!"

Five minutes later, both tribes are lined up near the shore. "Alright, for immunity…survivors ready? Go!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, throwing his hand down.

All twelve survivors race into the ocean and start swimming out towards their respective buoys. Crystal arrives first and goes underwater with Nervous. The rest of the Death Conquerors arrive shortly after, Jenny appearing uneasy in the ocean. "Hurry guys!" she states, her breath getting frantic, "We want to get back as soon as possible!"

Nearby, Vidcund Sucks has arrived at their buoy. "Alright," Pascal tells the others, grabbing onto the blue buoy, "Now who has my nose plugs?"

Loki groans and rolls his eyes, "Move aside, dipwad!" he instructs, Vidcund tensing up when Loki pushes him out of the way. Loki dives under the water and unhooks the first key.

"Loki has the first key for Vidcund Sucks!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as Crystal and Nervous both heave up from the water each holding up a key as well. "But the Death Conquerors now have two keys, it's still anybody's game!"

Ajay Loner pops his head up for air. "Any luck?" Pollination Tech #9 asks. Ajay sighs and shakes his head no. "Vidcund, you try."

Vidcund nods and prepares to dive down. Lazlo quickly grabs him by the arm, holding his brother back. "Careful Vid," Lazlo states, "You almost went down on Loki!"

"What?!" Vidcund gasps, his face flushing deep red.

Loki comes up the second time, holding the second key in his mouth. He spits it out and gives it to Pollination Tech #9. "Unbelievable," he glares, turning to the Curious brothers, "You guys are useless."

"Hey, you've always known it!" Pascal cheers.

Loki shakes his head and holds his breath, going back underwater. Nearby, the Grim Reaper has just grabbed the Death Conquerors final key with the end of his scythe.

He clenches the key in his hand. "I've got it!" he exclaims, "Come on, humans!" he calls out to the others.

"The Death Conquerors have all three keys, they're heading back to shore!" the Unsavory Charlatan narrates as Loki comes up with Vidcund Sucks' final key. Vidcund screams when Loki's hand accidentally rubs against his back.

"What the hell is up with you?" Loki rages, handing the final key over to Pollination Tech #9. Vidcund stutters and shyly looks down at the water.

"Vidcund Sucks has all three keys! Now everyone is heading for the beach!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as the Death Conquerors get closer to the shoreline.

Jenny stops short, her leg cramping. "Help!" Jenny cries out, putting her hand up, "I feel like someone just removed the pool ladder!"

Her teammates stop and spring into action. "Don't worry, Jenny! I got you!" the Grim Reaper calls back, wrapping his boney arms around her; Olive glares at Jenny as both teams make their way back to their mats.

"The Death Conquerors have made it back first, but Vidcund Sucks is right behind them. This is still anyone's challenge!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as both teams unlock their boxes.

"You nerds do the puzzle," Loki instructs to the Curious brothers, "That's about the only thing you're good for!" Loki looks up, noticing that Vidcund is staring at him blankly while Pascal and Lazlo start unpacking the puzzle. "What are you doing, Curious? GO!" Loki snarls as Vidcund continues staring right at him. "Oh for goodness sake!" Loki pushes Vidcund out of the way and joins the other two.

Nearby, Circe is working on the puzzle with Crystal and Jenny. "Are you sure you know how to do this?" Jenny asks, watching as Circe thoroughly examines one of the puzzle pieces in her hand.

"Jenny," Circe begins, "I have two scientific degrees. Don't you think I can figure this out?" she asks as Nervous continues to ponder behind her.

"I got it!" he shouts out, tag-teaming Crystal.

"What?!" Circe exclaims as Nervous begins reordering the pieces in front of them, "Yeah right!"

Next to them, Vidcund Sucks' puzzle is halfway done as Loki, Pascal, and Vidcund are now working on it together. Pascal steps back from the puzzle, framing it with his fingers. He calmly sighs, then walks over to his brother. "What comes next, Vid?! What comes next?!" he shouts, shaking Vidcund by the shoulders as Loki continues to examine the remaining pieces behind the pair.

"I don't know, quit hounding me!" Vidcund replies, pushing Pascal lightly off of him. Suddenly, Vidcund snaps his fingers, the solution clicking in his brain. "Wait, no. I think I got it!" he shouts, racing over to the pieces.

Nearby, the Death Conquerors are watching Vidcund. "Oh no, we're going to lose," Jenny sighs, watching hopelessly as Nervous completes the first third of the puzzle with Crystal, "We'll never be able to catch them!"

Circe pulls Jenny back by the shoulder. "Oh yes we will!" she states, her body filling with utmost determination, "You forgot one thing, _I'm_ on your team and I don't lose!" she tells them, "Watch and learn," she says. Circe brings her hands up to her face and messes up her hair a bit. Circe then pulls one of her bathing suit straps down, exposing her shoulder. She strolls over to the other team.

" _Hey Vid,_ " Circe cooes, tapping Vidcund gently on the shoulder as she suggestively moves her body towards him. Vidcund gasps and drops a puzzle piece when he sees her.

"Circe, what are you doing?!" Loki growls, stomping over to his wife.

"What does it look like I'm doing, dear? I'm winning this challenge!" Circe growls under her breath as she massages one of Vidcund's shoulders. He moans and starts to drool.

Loki snarls and turns to the host. "Isn't this cheating?" he asks.

"-Not if it brings in more viewers," the Unsavory Charlatan responds, shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth.

Loki turns back to Circe, vengeance in his eyes. "Well alright then, if that's how you want to play it."

Circe watches as Loki storms over to the Death Conqueror's puzzle. He grabs Crystal by the arm and pushes her up against it. He shoves his tongue into her mouth causing Circe to get red in the face. She walks forward, filling up with rage.

"Hey! Don't kiss my girlfriend!" Lazlo shouts once Loki moves away from her; a horrified expression is on Crystal's face. "You don't see me kissing your wife!" Lazlo stops what he is doing and shrugs, grabbing Circe and kissing her on the lips. Lazlo moves away, a peculiar gaze on his face. "Oh God, that was terrible!"

"Wait, let me try!" Pascal speaks up, walking towards them. The Unsavory Charlatan grabs Pascal by the shoulder and holds him back.

"Alright everyone, calm down," he says, his voice borderline soothing, "You were so caught up in all of this crazy sabotaging action that you didn't even notice that Death completed the puzzle five minutes ago."

Everyone looks to the right where sure enough, the Grim Reaper is standing next to the Death Conqueror's completed puzzle.

"Ooh," Pascal awes, "In that cause, all is forgiven!" Loki and Circe glare at him.

"-Geez, you guys have some problems," the Unsavory Charlatan mutters to the married couple. He clasps his hands together, "Anyway, the Death Conquerors win immunity!" he shouts, hoping to change the subject, "Which means that no one is going home from your tribe tonight!" the Unsavory Charlatan steps forward and hands the Grim Reaper the immunity idol, he holds it up as Nervous, Jenny, and Olive cheer.

"And as for you, Vidcund Sucks, I'm sorry to say this, but I will see you all tonight at tribal council," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the losing tribe, "Where one of you will be the third person voted out of this game. And based on this challenge, I'm sure it's going to be a blowout," he states as Loki and Circe continue to glare at each other; arms crossed.

"Bye dear," Circe says through her teeth, "I'm sure you'll get what you deserve."

"Say what you want, princess, I'm not going anywhere," Loki counters before their tribemates force them to separate; Lazlo grabbing a spaced out Vidcund on his way off the beach.

"You know, after all the years you've spent chasing after her, I really thought Circe would be a lot better kisser," Lazlo comments. Loki turns around and glares at him. "What?"

 _Day 9_

Vidcund Sucks returns to their campsite really early the next morning. "Well, that challenge was wild from start to finish!" Pascal chimes, hopping into the shelter.

Vidcund groans, stopping between his two brothers, "We ended up failing the puzzle, the nerdiest thing that's ever been on this show!"

"Yeah, but at least you guys got some hot Circe action!" Pascal responds, watching as Loki glares at him from the side, "Oh come on! I'm sure that's not the first time you've heard that!"

Loki sighs as Vidcund speaks up near the shelter. "I don't know what's more embarrassing: that we lost to someone who doesn't have fully functional hands, or that we lost to someone who had a sack on his head the whole time he was doing the challenge," he mutters.

"Hey! Don't dis the sack! It's a serious fashion statement!" Pascal exclaims, pointing his finger in Vidcund's face. Loki sighs, finally having enough, and strolls into the woods, leaving the other five tribe members behind.

"So, it's definitely Loki, right?" Ajay whispers.

"Yeah," Vidcund states with certainty as he watches his rival walk further into the woods, "It's definitely Loki."

 _Meanwhile – In the Woods_

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

These past few days have been terrible. I've gone from being violently ill to questioning almost everything about myself. I know I'm on the chopping block; they'd be stupid not to target me. But drastic times call for drastic measures and luckily I'm an expert at formulating my way out of messes. Now there's no way in hell that the Curious brothers would ever vote with me, so my only option is to try and make someone else the target, and I know just how to do it.

...

Loki grabs a bunch of material from the woods and sits down on the ground, crafting a small object into the night. He smiles to the camera as he finishes tying a beaded necklace around the object, using some items from the tribe's last few tree mails. _"Relax, it's not a voodoo doll,"_ he kids, _"It's just something that's going to potentially save my ass."_

Loki slowly and cautiously wanders back towards the shelter, stopping in front of Ajay's backpack. He pushes the fake idol inside of it, making sure to expose a small portion of the necklace on the outside. Loki turns to the camera and winks, " _Bye-bye Ajay Loner, some people are about to get paranoid,"_ he whispers as he creeps back into the shelter and lies down to sleep.

Suddenly, Pascal steps back from his hiding place behind a nearby tree, rubbing his face ponderously. _"That smart bastard!"_ he states.

 _Afternoon – Vidcund Sucks_

Pascal is sitting at the campfire moving some of the twigs around with a stick while several of his tribe mates gather more firewood from the woods. Loki strolls past Pascal, stopping to dump a few more sticks into the flames.

"I saw what you did last night," Pascal says suddenly, not taking his eyes off the fire.

Loki freezes in his tracks. "What are you talking about?" he asks, straightening up his back a bit.

"I know you're trying to frame the new guy," Pascal confesses, poking the flame once more, "Why else would you put that thing in his backpack?"

"Ah," Loki says, trying his best to keep his composure; his smirk returns to his face, "Did you tell your brothers?"

"No," Pascal answers, "And I don't plan on it." Pascal stands up, a confused expression now filling Loki's face. "You see Loki, I realized something: Getting rid of you over Ajay would be a stupid idea," Pascal states, "First of all, a lot of people don't like you – no offense, of course. Second of all, I'd much rather play against you than someone I barely even know. And third, over the years I have developed a certain amount of respect for you as a rather skilled scientist – and us joining forces just makes logical sense," he explains. "Trust me, Loki, no one is going to see this coming," he states, "But if we put our minds together, we can coast all the way to the end."

"Uh-huh," Loki crosses his arms, part of him was clearly not buying it, "And how do I know that this is real and not just some petty trick to mess with my head? And before you answer, I hope you know that I could easily turn this around on you and tell your brothers," he rebuttals.

"Please, they won't believe you," Pascal exclaims, laughing it off, "And I know you won't tell them, because face it, Loki, this is your only option," he says, holding his hand out to shake.

Loki looks down at it for a moment, stepping back and rubbing his eyes with his hand. He sighs, reaches out, and takes Pascal's hand. "Curious," he smirks, "You've got yourself a deal."

Pascal smiles and shakes back. "I knew it."

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

A lot of people tend to under-estimate me because of my goofiness. But if a guy has two PhDs, you gotta think he's got a plan up his sleeve, and this? This may be my biggest plan yet. But even if this whole thing doesn't work out, it doesn't mean that it's necessarily over. I mean, I could win lots of challenges, I could hide behind a bigger threat, I could vote off all three of my siblings and they would never see it coming. God, it's great to be a Curious!

 _Thirty Minutes Later_

"We're what?!" Vidcund exclaims, conversing with Pascal and Lazlo near the waterfall after Pascal has filled both of his brothers in on the plan.

"You heard me," Pascal repeats, "We're keeping Loki."

"What?!" Vidcund shouts again, "He is not a pet, Pascal, and we are _not_ keeping him!"

Next to him, Lazlo rocks back between his two feet. "I don't know, Vid, I think I'm with Pascal on this one," Lazlo tells him, "Right now, working with Loki just makes sense."

"Really?" Vidcund repeats, squeaking a bit, "Aren't you mad that he kissed Crystal?"

"Well, yeah," Lazlo says, "But as long as we can throw him under the bus later, I'm totally fine going along with this plan," he explains.

Vidcund groans, throwing his arms down. "You must be suffering from a serious case of island sickness because you guys have both lost your minds!" he hisses.

"Say what you will, but Loki is the only person that has a chance of taking down Circe," Pascal replies, "Cause God knows we can't! Plus having four votes is a very powerful thing, Vid," Pascal dives further, "With four votes we can do pretty much anything! We can control this game!"

"What?" Vidcund speaks up, "That's not how this game works! Loki will turn on us the first chance he gets," he warns, "He's only willing to go with us now because he's _desperate_. This game is all about timing, Pascal, and if we don't do this now, it could end up biting us in the ass later!"

Pascal crosses his arms and sighs. "Look Vid, Lazlo and I are voting for Ajay and Loki's voting with us. It's your choice whether or not you want to go with us, too," he explains soothingly, "You could vote Loki and force a tie if you want to. All I'm saying is: Wouldn't you rather go up against someone you know super well to the point where you can name all of their strengths and weaknesses than someone who you just met?" he says, "Come on Vidcund, you _know_ we can beat him."

Vidcund's gaze drifts to the ground. He looks down at the dirt for a moment, before releasing a heavy sigh. "I'll think about it," he says finally.

"That's all I'm asking for," Pascal nods, giving his brother a sincere smile, touching him softly on the shoulder.

Vidcund nods before exiting the area, walking back towards the campsite. Pascal and Lazlo stay behind, watching their middle brother's departure.

"Well, I think he's calmly handling the situation," Pascal says to Lazlo.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

Oh God! What do I do?!

 _Tribal Council_

All six members of Vidcund Sucks walk into the tribal council area and place both their belongings and their torches down behind them before taking their seats down in front of the Unsavory Charlatan.

"Welcome back to tribal council, guys," the Unsavory Charlatan greets, sitting down on his much higher stool. "First I would like to congratulate all of you on making it nine days out here. I know this game is tough, and honestly I didn't think Pascal would make it."

"Hey!" Pascal chimes in, insulted.

"Anyway, Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan states, bringing his hands together and staring down pitifully at the scientist, "What a week."

Loki nods, somewhat disinterested. "Yeah."

"First the illness and then the blowup at the challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan recaps, "After that monstrosity, do you honestly think you have a chance of making it to day ten?" he asks.

Loki shrugs. "I don't know, I hope so."

"Uh-huh," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "So Pollination Tech #9, what do you think went wrong during the challenge?" he asks.

"Well, we were doing alright. I thought everything was going great until Circe came over and started hitting on Vidcund," Pollination Tech #9 remembers, "Which of course made Loki mad and caused this vengefully crazy kissing spree," he explains, "And I know this isn't really in my place to say this, but I thought it was kind of weird that Loki got really 'pissed off' – I believe that's what the kids say – when Circe was hitting on Vidcund, but he didn't really seem that upset when Lazlo kissed her."

"What?" Loki immediately speaks up, "I was mad!"

"I agree with Pollination Tech #9," Ajay gives his two cents, "His level of anger wasn't really consistent with the situations at hand."

Loki throws his hand up, glaring at Ajay, "What are you saying? What exactly are you implying?" All around him, everyone is intently watching their conversation.

"Nothing," Ajay responds, "I just thought it was interesting."

"Oh," Loki says, calming down a bit, "Anyway, it's not my fault that things got out of hand, okay? My wife is crazy. She started the entire thing."

"-Bet you don't think she's cute," Vidcund mutters under his breath.

Loki turns to him. "What?"

"Nothing," Vidcund quietly dismisses.

"Wow, it seems like you guys have a whole mess of problems," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "Should be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out," he stands up at his podium, "And with that, it is time to vote. Pascal, you're up first!"

"Sweet!" Pascal jumps up and races over to the left.

The Unsavory Charlatan facepalms. "-Other way," he states.

One by one all of the contestants approach the voting station and casts their votes. Finally, only Vidcund remains. He sighs and walks over to the station, gazing down at the piece of parchment. He slowly picks up the pen and stands in silence. He writes a name down and holds up the piece of parchment to the camera. "I have no idea what I've just done," he states.

Once Vidcund returns, the Unsavory Charlatan turns to the tribe. "I'll go get the votes," he announces, walking over to the voting station and retrieving the box. He rests his hand on the lid. "If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and would like to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Everyone turns and looks at Loki. He sighs and looks down at the ground.

"-Well alright then. Once the votes are read the decision is final," the Unsavory Charlatan explains, "The person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes," he says, reaching into the voting box.

"First vote – Crystal," he begins, stopping when he notices the name that is written on the piece of parchment, everyone appearing rather confused. "Oh wait, sorry. I forgot to clear out the votes from yesterday. Hold on a minute!"

 _Two Hours and Seventeen Minutes Later_

"Alright, sorry about that," the Unsavory Charlatan apologizes, " _Now_ I'll read the votes." The Unsavory Charlatan looks up noticing that half of the tribe is asleep and the other half is barely keeping their eyes open. He sighs and takes out a foghorn. He presses down on the nozzle, a horribly loud obnoxious sound blaring from the horn, waking everyone up in the process.

"As I was saying," he continues, slightly irritated, "I'll read the votes," he says, reaching into the box to retrieve a correct piece of parchment.

"First vote – Loki," he says, reaching down into the box once more and revealing yet another vote. "Second vote – Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, "That's two votes Loki."

Loki's legs begin to shake as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box the fourth time that day. "Third vote – Ajay," he announces, immediately grabbing another vote. He turns it over, "Fourth vote – Ajay," he says, Ajay turning to Pollination Tech #9, clearly confused. "That's two votes Loki, two votes Ajay."

"Fifth vote," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, pulling out another piece of paper and turning it over. "-Vidcund," he says, "That's two votes Loki, two votes Ajay, one vote Vidcund, one vote left," he narrates. "Now if this last vote is for Vidcund or for anyone else that has not received one yet, it will force a tie and we will have to do a tiebreaker for the first time this game," the Unsavory Charlatan says, excitedly, "If not, then either Loki or Ajay will become the third person voted out of this game," he states, "I'll read the vote."

The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the final vote and opens it up, sighing as he glances down at the last piece of parchment. "Third person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition is…Ajay," the Unsavory Charlatan says, revealing the final vote to them, which reads 'Ajay – the New Guy' on it. "Ajay, you'll need to bring me your torch."

"Seriously?" Ajay squeaks, unable to believe what he is hearing. Next to him, Pollination Tech #9 is covering his face, trying to hide his horror.

Next to him, Pascal nudges Lazlo in the shoulder. " _Blindside…_ " he whispers as Ajay walks behind them to grab his torch.

" _I can't believe after all that, you still voted for Vidcund,"_ Lazlo whisper-hisses to Loki. _"So much for saving your ass!"_

"-That wasn't me," Loki whispers back, still amazed that he survived.

"-Then who…?" Pascal begins, the realization now hitting him square in the face. He looks to his distraught blonde-haired younger brother.

Vidcund throws his hands out shakily, "I couldn't handle the pressure, okay?!"

"Ajay, the tribe has spoken," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, snuffing out Ajay's torch. "It's time for you to go."

Ajay nods and turns to the others. "Good luck guys," he says with a wave, "Especially you, PT. The most badass eighty-nine year old I know!"

Pollination Tech #9 smiles and waves back as Ajay exits the premises.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns to the five remaining members of Vidcund Sucks, a rather large smirk appearing on his face as well as Loki's. "I'll say it once and I'll say it again: You have no idea what is going to happen in this game. Just when you think you've got it all figured out…bam! A blindside," he states, pausing to let these words sink in. "Grab your stuff and head back to camp. Goodnight."

The five remaining members grab their belongings and exit the tribal council area, walking into the night.

 **Ajay Loner  
** _Closing Words_

What the heck happened?! This was not a part of the plan, I thought we were set! _(sighs)_ Oh well. I gave it my best shot, and in the end, that's all I could really do. I'm happy that I got to know a lot of people that live in my neighborhood and I am definitely going to hang out with PT once this is all over – the other four I'm not so sure. Frankly, I think they're all nuts. And Loki, you better thank me for not saying it publicly, but I swear, if you don't want people to know, then you gotta make it less obvious.

 _Next time on Survivor…_

… _The tables have turned and for certain castaways, things are looking bleak…_

 **Pollination Tech #9 Smith  
** _Retired Pollination Technician/Alien_

Ever since Ajay was voted out, things have gone downhill for me. I mean it's pretty much hopeless. If we lose, I'm done. Simple as that.

 _...And for others, things are just getting weird…_

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

This is my nightmare. Please get me out of it!

… _Are things about to get weirder?_

"I will grant your team an instant challenge win for this reward, if you two kiss each other," the Unsavory Charlatan bargains, gesturing between the two sims.

… _And then…_

"What's going on?" Pascal shouts, watching as a chopper lowers down towards the island.

"I think someone's dead!" Lazlo shouts over the blaring noise.

… _All that and more, next time!_


	4. Episode 4: The Controversial Episode

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Four –** _The Controversial Episode_

"Hello everyone, I'm the Unsavory Charlatan," the Unsavory Charlatan greets, standing stationary on the shoreline, a serious tone in his voice, "And you might know me as the host of this game show. I am standing before you today to warn you that tonight's episode is rather controversial and may be unsettling for some of our viewers to watch," he warns the audience, "We almost got sued over this, so it was a pretty big deal when this controversial event happened. So, without further ado, here's tonight's episode."

 _Nighttime – Vidcund Sucks_

All five remaining members of Vidcund Sucks return to their campsite and begin putting away their belongings. Pollination Tech #9 trails behind the group, stopping nearby Pascal and Lazlo. "Okay guys, not going to lie, but I'm feeling kind of lost now," he tells them. "Any particular reason why you kept me in the dark?"

"It was kind of a last minute decision," Lazlo confesses, "But don't worry, you're fine. You have nothing to worry about PT, we still like you."

Pollination Tech #9 scrunches his forehead in a ponder. "If you say so."

 **Pollination Tech #9 Smith  
** _Retired Pollination Technician/Alien_

Ever since Ajay was voted out, it seems like things have been going downhill for me. I mean it's pretty much hopeless. If we lose, I'm done - Simple as that. I could try to believe my team and pretend that what happened last night doesn't mean anything, but I can see the writing on the wall. My time is up.

 _Day 10_

All is quiet and serene on the Death Conqueror's beach as the ocean waves gently hit the shore. Circe is sitting down on a nearby rock, her stance triumphant. "I feel great. I feel powerful," Circe tells the camera, giving a small nod, "I feel like almost everything is going the way I want it to. I mean, the way I see it, I saved my own ass yesterday and-" Circe stops and stares at something off-camera, her eyes widening like saucers. "Oh my gosh! That branch looks like a coat hanger!" she shrieks.

Circe quickly reaches off-screen and grabs the item before excitedly bringing it back into the shot to show everyone. "Yes! Look at it!" she exclaims, excitedly holding the twisted branch up to the camera, "Is this not the coolest thing you have ever seen?" she shouts, giving the branch a massive hug, "I love this island!" she yells.

Nearby, Jenny is dog paddling in the ocean with Crystal spotting her. "Looking great, Jenny!" Crystal tells her as Jenny moves towards the shore. "I don't get it, you can swim fine. Why are you so worried about this?"

Jenny reaches the shore and sighs, taking a seat in the sand next to Crystal, "Because, at the immunity challenge yesterday, I just felt so helpless. And I made a promise to myself that I'm never going to feel that way again. I don't want to let the team down, and I don't want to let my kids down."

"Come on Jenny, you're not going to let anyone down," Crystal says, "And you certainly didn't let any of us down at the challenge yesterday. I mean, you weren't the one that shoved your tongue in my mouth! Eww!" Crystal shivers, thinking back to that unpleasant incident.

"I know, but-" Jenny is stopped short as a shrilling shriek is heard from the woods. The two women stand up from the shore immediately as Nervous races over to them, his eyes drenched with tears. He grabs onto Crystal, his strength giving out.

"Nervous, what's wrong?" Crystal asks him, her eyes filled with concern.

Nervous continues to cry, covering his face with his hands. "What's wrong?" Nervous squeaks out, "Crystal…my mom is dead!"

 _Morning – Vidcund Sucks_

Pascal, Lazlo, and Pollination Tech #9 are fast asleep in the shelter as the sun drifts up above the horizon. Pascal turns his body around and sighs, letting out a rather heavy snore. "No! Take Lazlo!" he sleep-talks, sounding distressed, "He's juicier!"

Next to him, Lazlo groans and sits up, nudging Pascal in the shoulder a few times. "Pascal!" Lazlo whispers; his brother doesn't stir. "Pascal, wake up!"

"-No, I don't know how the fridge got like that," Pascal sleep-mumbles, "You're going to have to ask the night guy."

All of a sudden, the ground begins to rumble beneath them, shaking their flimsy wooden shelter. Pollination Tech #9 wakes up immediately and quickly gravitates towards the center of the structure.

"What the heck is that?" Pollination Tech #9 speaks up as Lazlo pokes his head out of the shelter for a closer look. He narrows his eyes.

"Oh my gosh, I think that's an EMS!" Lazlo shouts; Pollination Tech #9 scrunches his forehead in confusion, "An Emergency Medical Service chopper," Lazlo reiterates, "They only use them when there's you know – a real medical emergency."

"What's going on?" Pascal shouts, poking his head out after finally awaking from his slumber. He looks up to where Lazlo is pointing and watches as a chopper lowers itself down towards the island; a black flag waving on the back of the vehicle.

"Oh no," Lazlo speaks up, his voice now in a panic, "I think someone's dead!"

Pascal exhales as he wraps an arm around each of them. "Relax, everything is going to be fine as long as the three of us Curious brothers stick together. Especially now that we're all filled with thoughts of brotherly kindness!" Pascal tells them, turning to Lazlo and then to the elderly alien that is standing next to him, "Uh, where the hell is Vidcund?"

"You mean you just realized now that he's gone?" Lazlo says.

Pascal glares at him. "Shut up, Lazlo."

 _Meanwhile: In the Woods_

Vidcund and Loki are approaching the water well each carrying one of the two large blue canteens for their campsite. They stop in front of it in the midst of their newest conversation. "You know, Circe and I are trying to have kids now," Loki says, watching as Vidcund continues to walk in front of him; he stops at the well and takes off the lid. "-And it's not as easy as it looks."

"Wow, thanks for that visual," Vidcund sarcastically states, struggling to screw the lid off of one of the canteens.

"Are you jealous?" Loki asks him.

Vidcund scrunches his forehead, finally looking his rival in the eye. "Of who?"

"Of me, dumbass!" Loki choruses, angrily grabbing the canteen from Vidcund and twisting the lid off in one swift motion. He holds the lid out in front of him; a sassy expression on his face.

"-I could've done that," Vidcund softly responds, turning towards the ground. He grabs the canteen and bends down towards the well, stopping when he notices Loki watching him. "Um…you do it," he states, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Loki shrugs and grabs the canteen from him, "Alright."

"VID! VID!" Pascal shouts, racing into the woods with Lazlo following close behind. They both rush over to their brother and wrap their arms around him.

"Vidcund! Thank God you're alright!" Lazlo exclaims, hugging his rather confused older brother.

"Are you dead?" Pascal asks, squeezing Vidcund tighter.

"-Only on the inside," Vidcund grumbles.

Loki glares and paces over to the scientists. "What are you idiots griping about now?" he asks as the Curious brothers separate.

"We saw an EMS chopper up ahead, we thought maybe something happened to someone on our tribe," Lazlo explains, "-But by the looks of it, everything appears to be fine."

"Yeah," Loki seconds, "-Except it's clear to me that the two of you have obviously gone crazy because there is absolutely no EMS chopper on this island."

"But-" Lazlo begins. All of a sudden the ground starts to shake again as two more EMS choppers emerge in the skyline.

Vidcund groans as he feels something latch onto his arm again. "-Let go of me," he tells his brothers.

"Uh…?" Pascal speaks up, both he and Lazlo holding up their empty hands. Vidcund's eyes widen as he turns to the right, finding Loki latching onto him.

"-Of course," Vidcund sighs.

 _Immunity Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as he gestures both tribes towards the center of the beach. Vidcund Sucks arrives first, stopping on their blue tribal mat.

Vidcund turns to Loki, who is still latching on his arm. "Will you please let go of me?!"

The Death Conquerors walk in next, all four of the remaining tribe members hanging their heads in sorrow as they make their way over to their purple tribal mat; everyone on the opposing side staring in utter shock.

"Everyone," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, clasping his heads together as he turns towards both of the tribes, "I have some terrible news. This morning Olive Specter was woohooed to death."

Pascal tilts his forehead, "You mean she woohooed _with_ Death?" he asks.

"Yes, and she died as a result of excessive woohoo."

Vidcund raises his eyebrow, "You mean that's a thing?"

Next to him, Loki smirks. "Hey, just because you never get any, doesn't mean that other people don't," he remarks. Vidcund glares and pulls his arm away from him.

"Well, I've decided how I want to go," Pascal speaks up.

"Woohoo?" Lazlo asks.

"No," Pascal corrects him, "I want someone to pelt me with Cheetos after I win my sixth Young Scientist award," Pascal sighs thinking about it.

The Unsavory Charlatan stares at Pascal strangely for a few moments before turning back towards the other contestants. "Well, as a result of Olive's death, both Olive Specter and the Grim Reaper have been pulled from the game," he says. "We gave the Grim Reaper the opportunity to stay, but he said that it is his duty to deal with circumstances such as this one. Of course, we have yet to ask Olive's son, Nervous, what his decision is regarding this game. So Nervous," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning towards the emotionally distraught young man who is staring down at the ground; Crystal has a consoling arm wrapped around his shoulders, "What would you like to do?" he asks the young man.

Nervous slowly looks up, his eyes red and his cheeks stained with tears. He looks to Jenny and then to Crystal. "-Stay," he speaks suddenly, "I'm going to stay."

"Well alright," the Unsavory Charlatan says, a hint of surprise in his tone, "I was not expecting you to say that, that's for sure. But now that we're all here, we can get back to the game and hope that no one sues," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "Now before we continue on, does anyone have any questions?" Pascal shoots his hand up; the Unsavory Charlatan groans, "I knew I shouldn't have asked that," he grumbles, before turning towards the scientist, "Yes Pascal?"

"So what happens when Death dies?" Pascal wonders aloud, "Does Death get taken away by another Death? Or does Death take himself away? But then wouldn't that make Death immortal?" he questions as Lazlo taps his chin in wonder nearby, seriously mulling this question over.

In front of them, the Unsavory Charlatan is rubbing his temples; his brain hurting. "Um…yeah," the Unsavory Charlatan trails off, "So, are there any other questions? Preferably any that aren't from Pascal?"

Vidcund raises his hand. "Weren't you supposed to medically test everyone before you dropped us off on a desert island?" he asks.

Lazlo scrunches his forehead. "I thought they didn't have to test us since we volunteered."

"We didn't volunteer for this," Vidcund informs him, "They just filled our house with sleeping gas and hoped no one would sue!"

"Well the important thing is we learned something," Pascal begins, wrapping an arm around each of his brothers, "-And I'll let you know if I ever figure out what that was," he states, "By the way, does anyone else think that the other tribe's name is ironic since Olive clearly couldn't conquer Death?"

"Oh, she could conquer Death," the Unsavory Charlatan smirks.

Everyone stands in awkward silence for a moment, before Lazlo gives a shake and a cringe. "Eww! I just got that."

"Anyway," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, bringing his hands together once more, "It's time to get to today's reward challenge," he says, pacing over to Vidcund Sucks, "But since we're trying to get really high ratings this episode, I'm going to be nice and make you guys a deal," he states, turning to the guys, "Look, I know you guys aren't exactly itching to go up against Circe again since that catastrophe yesterday, so I'll tell you what. I will grant your team an instant challenge win if you two," the Unsavory Charlatan gestures at Vidcund and Loki, "-Kiss each other."

Vidcund crosses his arms, glaring daggers at the host. "No," he states flatly.

"Are you sure?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks, "Because last time you guys had to forfeit a food challenge and I'm sure everyone on your tribe is really hungry," he tempts him, "I mean, look at how scrawny your tribemates are, do you really think that you guys can make it through another challenge?"

"I am _not_ kissing Loki," Vidcund concludes once more, "And I'm sure my tribemates understand!"

"No we don't! Just kiss your damn rival, Vid! We're starving here!" Pascal shouts behind him, frantically jumping up and down. Vidcund shakes his head 'no'.

Loki rolls his eyes, "Oh for goodness sake!" Loki walks over to Vidcund and grabs the sides of his face, pushing his lips onto his; Vidcund's eyes widening at the touch of him.

Vidcund pushes Loki away from him, quickly wiping his mouth off with his hands and coughing several times. He crouches down on the beach; Loki giving a small smile next to him.

"So, what do we win?" Pascal asks the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan shrugs, "Oh, you don't win anything. Turns out we're not going to have a reward challenge today, because we're merging!" he announces.

"WHAT?!" Vidcund exclaims, standing up from the sand, "You mean we did that for nothing?!"

"Oh, it wasn't for nothing," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning towards the town villain, "Was it, Loki?" he remarks; Loki turns away slightly, avoiding eye contact.

"Now," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, turning to the others, "Since the two tribes are merging, I think it would be easiest if we just take your old tribe names and combine them together. So from this day forward, your new tribe will be known as: Vidcund Sucks the Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny)."

Vidcund eyes widen in horror. "Oh God no!" he shouts as Loki bursts into laughter.

"You're right, it's too long," the Unsavory Charlatan states, "So how about we just shorten it to 'Vidcund Sucks Death'?"

"I like it!" Pascal chimes; Vidcund turns and glares at him, "What?"

Vidcund groans and slaps his forehead in frustration, "Why does this stuff keep happening to me? I'm a good person!"

"-That's debatable," Loki mutters behind him.

"Pay attention, everyone, because tribal immunity is no more!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, grabbing the immunity idol from the Death Conquerors and throwing it on the ground. He stomps on it a few times, burying it in the sand.

Lazlo steps forward, "Uh, isn't that a sacred artifact?" he asks.

"It doesn't matter, what matters now is that all of you will now be playing for individual immunity. Once I find out what I did with it," the Unsavory Charlatan states, glancing around the sand, "Oh wait, here it is!" he exclaims, pulling it up from the sacred remains and holding out the necklace to the nine remaining survivors. "This is the immunity necklace. Anyone who wears it will be guaranteed safety for however long they have it," he explains.

"Now, for today's immunity challenge all nine of you will stand on individual platforms above the water. Whoever stays on their pedestal the longest wins," he informs, "These pedestals are only six inches wide so this is going to be tough."

"Translation: Vidcund's going to fall first," Loki speaks up. He turns to the side, wondering why Vidcund doesn't retort. Loki steps forward, a confused look on his face, "Hey, what's the deal? I just zinged you and you didn't even budge."

Vidcund shrugs, "Eh, I've developed an endurance," he states.

"Then this challenge should be perfect for you," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "Especially since you already put Circe on a pedestal," the Unsavory Charlatan laughs, "Did you like that joke? It took me all day to come up with it."

Vidcund glares and crosses his arms. "No."

"Alright, everyone gather around and we'll draw for spots," the Unsavory Charlatan instructs. "This challenge is about to begin!"

A few minutes later, all nine survivors have taken their positions on their pedestals above the water. "For immunity and guaranteed spot in the final eight…Survivors ready? Go!"

"Hey, this isn't so bad," Crystal states, standing on the pink pedestal, "The ocean waves are kind of soothing."

"You say that now, but just wait," the Unsavory Charlatan warns her, "This challenge is going to get a whole lot tougher the longer you're out here."

Fifteen minutes pass and everyone is still in the challenge. Lazlo sighs and begins adjusting his legs. "Man, I'm already cramping up," he says aloud, "I'm going to sit down." He takes a seat.

"Wait, we can do that?" Pascal asks; the Unsavory Charlatan nods, "Then screw this!" Pascal sits down on his solid blue pedestal; over half of the remaining survivors do the same.

Another thirty-five minutes pass, and all nine survivors are still situated on their pedestals. The Unsavory Charlatan paces over from his place on the dock and looks up at them. "Well, this challenge is taking a whole lot longer than I expected, so it's time to add the twist," he announces, "Here's the deal: You can stand there on your pedestals as long as you want, but the longer you stay, the more embarrassing things I reveal about you!" he claims, pulling out a pile of notecards.

"Wait, what?!" Vidcund shrieks from his yellow pedestal. At this, Crystal, Nervous, and Pollination Tech #9 immediately leap off of their pedestals and into the water. They swim back towards the shore.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles down at them. "I see that got some of you," he states as they all join him on the dock.

"PT?" Jenny nervously speaks up from her platform.

"Don't worry Jenny," Pollination Tech #9 shouts back, "It's not about you. I just have a lot of pollination secrets that I can't afford to get leaked to the residents!"

"You're not seriously going to do this, are you?" Vidcund asks, turning towards the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan brings his hands together, giving a sinister smile. "Oh, wouldn't I?" he begins, turning towards the others. "Attention everyone, we have now reached the one hour mark in this immunity challenge, so it's time to reveal our first batch of embarrassing secrets. Up first is Vidcund."

"-Of course," Vidcund groans.

"Did you know that Vidcund wet his pants at a high school dance?" the Unsavory Charlatan reads from his card.

Loki rolls his eyes. "Psh, everybody knows that! Tell us something we don't know!"

"Okay, I'll do another one then," the Unsavory Charlatan states, whipping through his cards once more.

"What? No-!" Vidcund turns to Loki, who is now laughing behind his hand, "I would push you off this instant, but then I'd be doing you a favor."

Loki smirks. "Smart man," he states.

"Ah yes! Here's another one," the Unsavory Charlatan smiles, "Did you know that Vidcund vacuums Lazlo while he's sleeping?"

Lazlo immediately turns to Vidcund, a bizarre look on his face. "You're a germ magnet!" Vidcund calls out, defensive.

"-Speaking of germ magnets," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "Lazlo once ate an entire lemon pie that he found in the trash."

"-And I don't regret it!" Lazlo chimes in, his mouth starting to water a bit, "Man, I wish I had that pie right now." Lazlo starts to drool.

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head, before continuing on with his next victim. He looks up at the mother and smiles. "Jenny, Jenny, Jenny, Miss Perfect," he begins, "Let me tell you, it was tough finding dirt about you. I mean, everybody already knows that you married the guy that knocked up your father."

"-He's got that right," Circe choruses.

"-But did you guys know that Jenny was demoted twice from her career track?" he tells them.

"They didn't accept my maternity leave!" Jenny replies, "We needed the money, I couldn't quit!"

The Unsavory Charlatan shrugs and turns to Loki, locking eyes with the young scientist. "Loki Beaker, the self-proclaimed super genius that sleeps with a blankie."

"-Oh geez," Loki begins, slapping his hand over his face; Pascal and Vidcund start to giggle.

"Man, I thought I loved this challenge before, but I was wrong!" Pascal shouts, throwing his head back in more laughter, "What's its name?" he asks.

"-Cuddles," the Unsavory Charlatan reveals; Pascal and Vidcund start laughing even harder, Vidcund having to hold his sides in pain.

"-Cuddles? That's rich!" Pascal replies, he looks to the side only to find Loki shooting daggers at him. "This is the best day of my life," he beams.

The Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together. "Up next is Circe, and-" the host stops, hearing a strange snoring sound in the distance. He looks up with the others, finding Lazlo fast asleep on his pedestal.

Vidcund gazes at his brother, clearly astonished. "Is he seriously sleeping through this?!"

"Come on Vid, Lazlo can sleep through almost anything," Pascal reminds him.

The Unsavory Charlatan clears his throat. "As I was saying, I still have two more secrets to reveal to you guys until this round is over."

"-Well at least my turn is done," Loki responds, giving a sigh of relief.

"The next secret is about none other than Circe Beaker," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "Did you know that Circe has cheated on Loki three times during their marriage?"

"Circe! What the hell?!" Loki blares next to her, "I thought we agreed that you could only do that twice!" Nearby, Vidcund starts laughing obnoxiously.

"Oh man, any more of these and I'm not going to be able to last much longer," Vidcund tells the group.

Loki glares at Vidcund briefly before turning his attentions back to his wife. "Please tell me that you did not cheat on me with this doofus!" he snarls, gesturing to Vidcund.

"Come on, you know I'm not _that_ desperate," Circe snaps back, a sassy smirk on her face.

"Ooh! Ooh! Me next! Me next!" Pascal chimes, bouncing up and down on his pedestal, his hand raised high in the air.

Vidcund turns to his brother, clearly puzzled. "Are you actually enjoying this?" he questions.

"Alright. Now last and certainly least, here's something about Pascal," the Unsavory Charlatan continues on, giving the scientist a small smirk.

"Hah! You can't embarrass me!" Pascal fires back, "I already reveal way too much about my life, things that no one in their right mind would ever want to know! For example, sometimes I pee on my hands to better sanitize them, just like I did this morning!" he reveals.

Vidcund leans back a bit, bringing his hand up to his face in a ponder. "Wait, weren't you the one that made breakfast this morning?"

"Yeah," Pascal responds, staring blankly ahead.

Vidcund, Loki, and Pollination Tech #9 widen their eyes and quickly crouch towards the water, attempting to clean out their mouths.

On the dock, the Unsavory Charlatan glances down at his notecard before throwing it over his head. He shrugs. "Well, that beats what I had."

 _One Hour Later_

"Well, we're approaching the two hour mark," the Unsavory Charlatan informs the contestants, "Which means it's time for another set of embarrassing secrets," he begins, pulling out another stack of notecards.

"Just a sec, gotta poop!" Lazlo warns, crouching down towards the ocean.

Vidcund groans, "Eww! Whatever you do, Lazlo, please don't take your pants off-Oh!" Vidcund grimaces and turns around, quickly covering his eyes as Lazlo drops his swim trunks. Loki, Circe, and Jenny all turn away as well. Next to Lazlo, Pascal doesn't seem to care.

"Whoo! Now it's a party!" Pascal exclaims.

"Ugh, now I _really_ don't want to go in the water," Loki grumbles.

On the dock, the Unsavory Charlatan has his back turned to the contestants. "Well, I was going to reveal these secrets, but I think this display is traumatizing enough for this round." The other three survivors nod behind him.

Thirty minutes later, all six survivors are still situated on their pedestals. "You've been out here for two and a half hours now," the Unsavory Charlatan shouts to them, "How do you feel?"

"Well I don't know about you, but I feel like dancing!" Pascal says as he over-excitedly springs up and starts dancing on his pedestal.

The Unsavory Charlatan gives him a strange look before turning to the other remaining members. "Really? Day ten and you guys still haven't thought about voting him out?" he questions.

Pascal gasps and brings his hands up, "He _likes_ -"

"-Don't even say it," the Unsavory Charlatan groans as one of the six remaining survivors falls backwards into the water.

"Wulp, there goes Lazlo," Pascal comments, watching as his youngest brother falls into the ocean.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, seemingly satisfied by this. "Yep," he states as Lazlo continues to sleep as he floats in the water. The host turns to the other residents, "Uh, one of you might want to go get him so we don't get sued."

Crystal nods, stands up, and jumps in the water. She swims over to Lazlo and taps him on the shoulder.

"Lazlo?" Crystal shakes his shoulders once more, "Lazlo?"

Lazlo slowly opens his eyes, "Huh?" he responds. "Crystal, what are you doing here? And why is everything so wet?" Crystal gestures down below. Lazlo tilts his head in confusion before looking down, noticing that he is now in the ocean. "Oh."

Fifteen minutes pass and the five remaining survivors are still fighting for immunity. The Unsavory Charlatan throws his hands up. Behind him, Crystal, Nervous, and Pollination Tech #9 are struggling to keep their eyes open; Lazlo has fallen asleep on Crystal's shoulder.

"Alright everyone, I honestly never thought you people would make it this far," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, "But you have once again proved me wrong. So I'll tell you what, if you guys make it another five minutes, I'll make you an offer."

Four minutes later, the five remaining survivors are still in their same positions. Circe turns to Loki, who is now adjusting his posture. "You know, you can drop sweetie if you feel like quitting," she cooes.

Loki glares at her. "I don't think so, princess. There is no way that I am going to let Plant Boy here, beat me!" he states, gesturing to Vidcund.

"Wow, Plant Boy?" Vidcund repeats next to him, "That's real mature!"

"Who's the jackass that said I was mature?" Loki fires back.

Pascal smiles, "He's got you there, Vid."

"We've now reached the five minute mark, so here's my offer," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, pacing a tad towards the group, "The first person who jumps off their pedestal wins the necklace."

"You're joking," Vidcund speaks up, behind him Pascal is sporting a doubtful stare. "After all that, you're just going to give immunity away on a split-second decision?"

The Unsavory Charlatan shrugs. The five survivors look to each other before Vidcund and Loki simultaneously jump off their pedestals and into the ocean. They both climb onto the dock.

"So, who won?" Vidcund asks, visibly out of breath.

The Unsavory Charlatan cocks his head. "I guess, you," he answers, grabbing the necklace and holding it in front of his chest. "Here you go."

Vidcund grabs the necklace from him, glancing down at the pink floral beads. "This isn't the immunity necklace," he says.

"True," the Unsavory Charlatan answers, "But I never said that's what you were going to get. Funny, after I tricked you guys earlier today, I really thought you would've learned your lesson," he claims as Vidcund and Loki stare at him in shock. "Sit down, dorks."

"Can we kill him?" Loki whispers to Vidcund as they take a seat with the others, "Cause I really think we should kill him."

"No, let's wait and see how much money we can get out of this," Vidcund replies.

 _Fifteen Minutes Later_

"Well, we've just reached the three hour mark," the Unsavory Charlatan narrates, "And I'm impressed, you all must want this really bad. Here's where we stand," he tells the castaways, "We have Jenny who is sitting crouched down on her pedestal, we have Pascal doing who knows what, and we have Circe – who I swear hasn't moved from her standing position since this challenge started."

"-Damn straight," Circe comments.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles, clasping his hands together, "Yep. I bet there's nothing I can do to get you three to drop," he says, pacing forward, "Unless you guys could think of something."

"Ooh!" Pascal speaks up, "Will you give me Ghostbusters on DVD?"

The Unsavory Charlatan's face drops. "No."

"Then forget it! I'm staying up here until I either win immunity or die, whichever comes first!" Pascal proclaims, crossing his arms in a huff. He gazes down at the ocean floor. "Ooh, a quarter!" Pascal dives into the water, leaving everyone dumbfounded behind him.

Pascal heaves his head up above the water and grabs onto the dock. He pulls himself up and wipes the quarter off on his swim trunks, taking a seat next to Vidcund.

"Really? A quarter?" Vidcund questions.

"Yeah, I mean, look how shiny it is!" he exclaims, holding the quarter up to Vidcund's face.

Lazlo whistles next to him. "That is one good-looking cent."

"Don't you mean twenty-five good-looking cents?" Pascal corrects him, raising his eyebrows up and down; everyone on the dock groans.

 _Fifty Minutes Later_

"It's almost sundown, you two must be feeling drained," the Unsavory Charlatan says to the two remaining women. "We got Mommy Dearest going up against the Wicked Witch of the West."

"Geez, those are both unflattering references," Lazlo nudges Vidcund.

"Yeah, I think he was actually being nicer to Circe on that one," Vidcund nudges back, struggling to keep his eyes open.

Jenny sighs as she bends over, situating herself on her knees.

"You can do it, Jenny!" Pollination Tech #9 shouts from the dock, "Don't give up!"

Jenny turns and looks to Circe, who is still standing in the same position as before. "Give it up, Jenny, I've got two degrees and I'm filled with hatred!"

Jenny turns back around and inches up further, resting her hand on the bottom of the platform. Her eyes widen a bit as she feels a roll of paper in her hand. She scans the area, before quickly tucking it in her swimsuit and out of sight.

"Alright guys, it's clear to me that you two could stay out here forever, so I am actually going to hold a real tie-breaker this time," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, after another hour of waiting. "The first person to answer this question correctly wins immunity. No tricks, actual immunity, right here!" the Unsavory Charlatan promises, holding up the necklace in his hand. "And just to make it fair, this question is about Strangetown. So, here we go," he begins, waiting until he has everyone's attention. Once he does, the Unsavory Charlatan pulls out a hot pink notecard and starts to read, "This scientist invented such machines as the SimSanto Inc. Biotech Station, the TraumaTime 'Incision Precision' Surgeon Training Station, and the SensoTwitch Lie Finder. Who was it?"

Circe moves her hand up to her mouth. "Uh…?"

"It's Loki!" Jenny springs up from her platform, "Loki Beaker!"

"That is correct! Jenny wins immunity and a guaranteed spot in the final eight!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces. Jenny squeals and jumps into the water, quickly swimming back to the dock, leaving an embarrassed Circe behind.

"Congratulations Jenny," the Unsavory Charlatan says, clasping the immunity necklace around her neck, "You earned it. And with this, you are safe at tonight's tribal council," he states, giving her a congratulatory pat on the back.

"As for the rest of you, I will see you tonight at tribal council where one of you will be the sixth person voted out of this game," he tells the rest of the tribe as Circe reaches the dock, "You have a couple of days to decide, so I suggest you use them wisely," he advises. "Since Jenny won the challenge, she gets to decide which campsite you guys are going to live on, so Jenny, which will it be?"

Jenny scans the crowd and gives a small smile. "I think we're going to live on Vidcund Sucks's campsite, cause ours reeks of death."

"Fair enough," the Unsavory Charlatan nods, "Everyone head back to Vidcund Sucks's campsite, and we'll transport all of the Death Conquerors's belongings and rewards there tonight," he states, turning towards the guys, "Try not to get lost this time."

"-No promises," Vidcund grumbles, turning towards the shore.

Circe steps forward, stopping when she comes face-to-face with her husband; Loki stares at her, expressionless. "What?" she asks.

Loki shakes his head. "-Nothing," he replies, before wandering off the dock. Pascal and Vidcund are wading through the water in front of him.

"Ooh, a penny!" Pascal chimes, bending over towards the shoreline.

Vidcund quickly pulls him back, "-Don't even think about it."

 _Day 11_

The sun slowly rises above the horizon, the light shining down on the seven individuals that are sleeping inside of Vidcund Sucks's shelter. Pascal yawns as he gently opens his eyes, sitting up a bit to give his body a stretch. "Ah, this island is so peaceful," he says to himself, "I feel like I'm in a giant bed of pudding."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU FORGOT?!" a voice pierces through the calm, soothing environment, causing almost all of the shelter sleepers to spring up from their slumber. "IT TOOK ME FIFTEEN MONTHS TO MAKE THAT MACHINE, WHAT DID YOU THINK I WAS DOING?!" Loki continues to shout.

"WELL I'M SORRY I DON'T SPEND ALL TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES OF MY FREE TIME FOLLOWING YOUR BORING, MUNDANE STUDIES!" Circe screams back, "HEAVEN FORBID I HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE!"

Back in the shelter, Vidcund groans, holding his hands up against his aching temples. "Oh God, you can hear them from across the island," he moans to the others, "How long has this been going on?"

Pollination Tech #9 groggily glances down at his watch. "-Three minutes," he answers; everyone in the shelter groans.

"Well, now that we're up for the day, we may as well start gathering supplies," Crystal speaks up from behind the others.

"I wish we could, but unfortunately the supplies are right between Circe and Loki," Vidcund replies, gesturing across the sand.

Crystal's face falls. "Oh," she states as her fellow tribemates begin to exchange awkward gazes with each other, "So…now what?"

"You wanna make out?" Lazlo says suddenly.

Crystal smiles, "Okay." Crystal grabs Lazlo by the hand and leads him out the opposite side of the shelter. Pascal watches as the pair disappears into the woods. He sighs.

"Man, I wish I had someone to make out with," he states, giving his head a shake; he turns to his brother.

"What are you looking at me for?" Vidcund snaps.

"Uh…guys?" Jenny speaks up next to them, catching her brothers' attention. She gestures down at Nervous Subject, who is still fast asleep in the center of the shelter as Loki and Circe continue arguing with one another across the beach.

Pascal widens his eyes. "Holy crap, he can sleep through all this?!"

"He lives with them, are you really that surprised?" Vidcund asks, stepping out of the shelter. "Well, I've had about enough of this, so I'm going to go get some water," he tells them, brushing off his legs, "Wish me luck."

…

Vidcund is walking swiftly through the woods, doing his best to avoid any sharp objects or lustful lovers. He sighs as he finally reaches the water well, placing his hand on the wooden lid. "Thank goodness," he says to himself, "For a second there, I thought I was going to run into some real trouble-"

"Hey Vidcund," a voice calls out behind him. Vidcund screams and drops the lid, quickly turning around.

Vidcund sighs when he sees the woman who is standing behind him. "Geez Circe, why did you have to scare me like that?" he asks her.

Circe smirks, placing a sassy hand on her hip. "Oh, I didn't have to. I wanted to," she cooes, moving towards him.

"You know two hundred and thirty-eight ways to make someone scream, would it kill you to make one of them nice?" Vidcund asks, placing his hand on his chest, hoping to slow down his heart rate.

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

He's right. I know two hundred and thirty-eight ways to make a person scream – and none of them are nice. And that, my friends, was number thirty-seven.

...

"So, enough about me, let's talk about us," Circe says, moving closer to him. Vidcund steps back, now finding himself pushed up against the water well. "Oh Vid, I feel so bad about what happened between us," she continues, her tone surprisingly sweet, "I never should've dumped you for Loki. After all, you're the real man."

"I-I am?" Vidcund replies, shaking a bit as he feels Circe trail her fingers down his chest. "Since when?"

"Oh please, I've always felt this way about you," Circe says, feeling Vidcund's body shake underneath her, "I only married Loki for his money, but I see now that that was a mistake! He'll never be able to satisfy me like you can!" she declares, moving her hands up and grabbing the sides of his face. She gazes up at him, her eyes shining. She slowly leans towards him, closing her eyes as she does so.

All of a sudden Circe stops, feeling something holding her back. She looks down, only to find Vidcund's hand pushing her away by the shoulder. "Circe, this is wrong," Vidcund says softly, "You're only doing this to get back at your husband."

"What? No!" Circe quickly replies, throwing her hands up, "You're reading too much into this! I mean, can't you see that I want you?" she asks.

"Honestly, no," Vidcund responds, "I mean, this is just completely out of nowhere."

"Uh-huh," Circe says, placing her hands on her hips, her patience wearing thin, "And why is it so hard for you to believe that I yearn for your pure animalistic tendencies?"

Vidcund's face falls; his expression firm. "Okay, now I know you're lying."

Circe snarls. "Vidcund Curious, you are impossible!" she shouts, stomping towards the beach; she turns around to glare at him, "WE ARE NEVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER! I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY!" she yells, heading back to the campsite.

Vidcund sighs and shakes his head a few times, before turning back towards the well. Nearby, Loki is watching from behind a shrub, a big smile on his face after having witnessed the entire calamity. Loki turns around, now noticing the camera that is pointed at him. "What?" he states.

 _Day 12_

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

We have been merged for an entire day now, and I am overwhelmed by the number of personalities on this beach. We have a big day ahead of us today, we have to figure out who we're going to get rid of and where our alliances lie. No matter what happens, I just need to make sure that I end up on the right side of the vote tonight.

...

All nine tribe members are situated around the campfire, partaking in their typical morning routines. Pascal smiles as he picks up a grain of rice from his coconut shell, pushing it in front of Vidcund's face. "Hey, check it out, Vid! This rice looks just like Ajay!" he exclaims.

Vidcund scrunches his forehead. "Who's Ajay?"

"You know, that guy that we voted off a few nights ago?" Pascal reminds him, "The new guy?" he dives further, "Tall skinny stick, surprisingly pleasant?"

"Oh yeah," Lazlo says, moving over and examining the grain of rice more thoroughly, "Eh, the rice is better-looking," Pascal nods.

Loki yawns and stands up, heading into the woods; Circe follows after him.

"Look, I don't want to sound pushy," Pollination Tech #9 speaks up around the campfire, lowering his voice to a whisper once he is sure the pair is gone, "But if we ever want to sleep peacefully again, I think we need to get rid of either Circe or Loki," he suggests.

"He's right," Jenny seconds, "I can't think straight with those two around. We need to separate them!"

Lazlo nods, "But who's the bigger threat?"

Crystal shrugs, "I don't know. I've only played with Circe, so I have no idea what kind of gameplay Loki has done," she tells them, "Nervous, you live with both of them, who do you think would cause us more trouble?" she asks.

"-Loki, hands down," Nervous replies, not having to give it a second thought.

"Really?" Jenny questions, "Circe is a mastermind. Didn't you see that massive sabotage?"

"Yeah," Nervous responds, "But Circe plays with an open hand. Her cards are all on the table. With Loki, you have no idea what you're getting," he confesses, "One minute you think he likes you and the next he's strapping you to his latest invention," Nervous shivers as Pascal and Vidcund continue to watch the conversation in silence.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Everybody wants to get rid of Loki, but I gotta tell you, I'm really enjoying this secret alliance with him. He does all the dirty work, and I get the credit cause no one likes him. Then I'll throw him under the bus before he catches on and seeks vengeance! And if I want this plan to work, then I gotta make sure that he stays no matter what!

...

Later that afternoon, Pascal, Vidcund, and Lazlo are standing in the woods conversing with one another. Loki comes back from the waterfall and joins them. "What are you guys doing?" Loki asks, eyeing the Curious brothers suspiciously.

"Saving your ass, that's what we're doing!" Pascal hisses back, "Everyone wants you gone, we have to figure out some way to prevent that from happening, or our alliance is screwed," Pascal tells him. "We just need one person to switch over to our side, and we should be golden."

"Well that should be easy enough, just get Crystal to do it," Loki replies, eyeing the youngest Curious brother. Lazlo shakes his head.

"I already tried that, she's set with Nervous and Jenny," Lazlo says, "You know, it really didn't help things when you shoved your tongue in her mouth. And PT is obviously voting with his wife, so Circe is our only option!"

Loki sighs, "It's no use. We'll never get Circe to vote with us, especially if we plan on voting her out."

"Yeah…" Pascal agrees as all four of the scientists gaze down at the ground and sigh. All of a sudden, Pascal perks up. "Hey, wait a minute! That's it!" he exclaims, "Who says we have to go after Circe tonight?" he says, "We'll just have her vote for someone else with us and then we'll just can her next week."

Vidcund scrunches his forehead, "You really think that'll work?"

"It's worth a shot," Pascal replies, shrugging his shoulders, "We just have to make sure that it isn't someone that Circe is particularly close to. And since none of us were on her tribe to witness her various relationships, then by process of elimination we're going to have to go after PT."

Lazlo nods as both Vidcund and Loki continue to ponder this over. "That makes sense," Lazlo speaks up, "I say we should go for it."

"Question," Vidcund chimes in, holding his hand up slightly, "How in the hell are we going to get Circe to vote with us?"

Loki steps forward, giving Vidcund a quick once-over; a sly smile forming on his face. "I think I know just the thing."

Vidcund moves back a bit, a terrified expression forming on his face. "Oh God, I do not like the way that he is looking at me right now," Vidcund states, walking backwards a few more feet. Loki follows him. "Oh no. There is absolutely no way that I am going to become some kind of seduction puppet!"

"Well that wasn't what I was going to say, but I like that idea even better," Loki replies.

Vidcund narrows his eyes at him. "Of course you do," he grumbles, although part of him can't believe what he is hearing, "Wait, you seriously want me to seduce Circe?" he asks Loki, "Why don't you just do it? I mean, aren't you bothered by the fact that I'm going to essentially be romancing your wife?"

Loki steps back, holding his hands up in front of him, "Hey, Loki Beaker doesn't kiss anyone's ass, he hires other people to kiss ass for him. Besides, I'm not worried," he states, crossing his arms with a smirk, "I know you won't enjoy it."

Vidcund tilts his forehead, confused, "How do you know that?" Vidcund asks. He ponders this over for a bit, before his oldest brother butts in, quickly dismissing his thought.

"Look Vid, I know you're not crazy about this," Pascal speaks up, "So why don't you let Lazlo and I talk to her first? If she doesn't agree with the plan, then you'll come in and seduce her. How does that sound?" he wonders, "Will you do it?"

Vidcund turns to his brothers, letting out a rather large sigh, "Fine, I'll do it. All I'm saying is, this better work or I will never forgive you guys!"

"Of course you will," Pascal quickly replies, his face beaming, "Which means we have nothing to lose!" he declares, "Come on, lover boy!" Pascal says, grabbing Vidcund by the hand and dragging him towards the waterfall.

 _One Hour Later_

"Forget it, okay? There is absolutely no way that I am voting with you guys!" Circe shouts, attempting to lose Pascal and Lazlo who are hovering around her like flies to a garbage can. "Hell will freeze over before I vote with Loki, and you can take that to the bank!" Circe continues, walking further into the woods.

"Come on, Circe," Pascal speaks up, "You know this is the right decision. Those other people can't even dare to match our scientific intellect!"

Circe stops and gives Pascal a disapproving glare. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with Pascal?"

Pascal sighs and throwing his arms down slightly. "Please just think about it, okay?" he asks her, "We could really get far in this thing."

Circe looks up, scanning both of her fellow scientists for any signs of insincerity. Finding none, she lets out a sigh. "Alright, I'll think about it," she states, before walking further into the woods, leaving Pascal and Lazlo behind.

Pascal nudges his brother in the side, crossing his arms and giving a smirk. "Oh she'll do more than just think about it," Pascal mutters to him, "She's going to do it."

Lazlo nods. "Yeah," he states, watching her disappear into the plant life, "Let's just hope Vidcund doesn't screw this up."

"Eh, he'll be fine."

…

Circe whistles as she walks further into the woods, the sunlight growing dim around her as she walks further away from the campsite. She sighs as she grabs her canteen and takes a seat down near some flattened rocks.

"Hey baby, I've been waiting for you," a voice rings out behind her.

Circe tenses up and quickly turns around only to find Vidcund lying down suggestively on the stones in front of the waterfall, wearing nothing but his orange speedo.

"Vidcund?" Circe speaks up, unable to believe what she is seeing.

"Oh yeah, it's me, your ex-boyfriend," Vidcund continues, trying his best to sound flirty, although it sounds more like he is suffering from stomach pains, "I've been thinking about what happened earlier today and I can't get you out of my head. I just want you so bad!"

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

This is my nightmare. Please get me out of it!

...

Circe tilts her forehead, her expression suggesting that she is clearly not buying it. "Really?" she states, "Cause it really didn't seem like you were interested earlier."

Vidcund rolls his eyes, waving away the thought. "Please, like I wouldn't be interested in you. You're the hottest, most intelligent person in the entire city, anyone would be stupid to push you away!"

Circe nods, crossing her arms with a smirk, "Well I can't argue with that."

"No," Vidcund moans out, swaying his body forward, "No one could. Now come here, Circy!" he shouts, swaying a bit backwards, "Come here and give it to your man! Whoa-oomf!" Vidcund flails his arms and falls backwards into the waterfall. He sighs and sits up in the shallow water, "You'd think after thirteen years of being single I'd be better at this…"

Circe jumps into the water and straddles him. "I still think you're pretty good," she cooes, before grabbing Vidcund by the sides of his face and pushing herself onto him. Vidcund's eyes widen as the pair begin passionately making out, awkwardly wrapping his arms around her. Vidcund looks to the side where Pascal and Lazlo are hiding and flashes them a helpless look; they smile and give him a 'thumbs-up' before exiting the premises.

After fifteen minutes of lustful romance, Circe stands up, quickly pushing herself off of him. She brushes off her arms and starts readjusting her clothes. She points down at Vidcund, "Well, that was fun, but you can never tell anyone that this happened!"

Vidcund coughs a few times and sits up, still dazed from the event that just occurred. "Okay. I won't tell, under one condition," he states, giving a small smirk; the plan fresh in his mind.

Circe turns back and stops what she is doing, narrowing her eyes at him. "What do you want?"

 _Tribal Council_

All nine survivors walk into the tribal council area and place down their belongings and torches before taking their seats in front of the Unsavory Charlatan.

"Welcome everyone, to our first post-merge tribal council," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the contestants after everyone has been seated. "So much as happened today that I don't even know where to begin. But let's start with you, Nervous, because I haven't heard much from you since your mother passed away," the host notes, "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing okay," Nervous speaks softly, scratching his arm, "It's been a rough couple days but I can take comfort in knowing that my parents are together."

"That's good to hear," the Unsavory Charlatan says, giving a small nod before turning slightly to the right, "Now let's talk about that immunity challenge," he continues, "You guys were standing up there for hours until Circe and Jenny were the only two left, and then I ask a question where Loki is the answer, and Circe gets it wrong," he reminds them, turning towards the female scientist, "Circe, I can't imagine that went over well with your husband."

Circe shakes her head. "No, it did not," she answers, "But it's not like I didn't know the answer, Jenny just beat me to it."

"Oh don't give me that!" Loki chimes in next to her, "You stuttered for a good five seconds, you clearly didn't know it was me!"

"You have no proof of that, your argument is invalid," Circe argues back, turning away from him.

Loki rolls his eyes, "Please! My argument is more solid than your dissertation!"

"Oooh!" Pascal choruses behind them, shielding his mouth from this rather sick burn. Around them, everyone minus Circe and Loki looks terrified out of their minds.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns to the others. "Well, we've only been here for a few minutes, but I'm guessing that this is just a taste of what life has been like for you all at camp," the survivors nod, "So, before this gets any more vicious, it's time to vote. Jenny, you're up!"

Jenny nods and sits up from her seat, making her way to the voting station. She sits back down, allowing Pascal to spring up and cast his vote.

He approaches the voting station and writes Pollination Tech #9's name down on the piece of parchment. Pascal holds it up to the camera. "Look, I got nothing against you, but if I want this whole thing to work, there's going to have to be sacrifices," he states, folding up the piece of paper and sticking it inside the voting box, "I'll miss you, man."

One by one the remaining survivors cast their votes until only Circe remains. Vidcund comes back from the voting station as Circe slowly stands up, goosing him from behind. Vidcund squeaks, watching as Circe walks towards the voting station.

He slowly sits down, his face bright red as he whisper-hisses to his brothers. "The things I do for you guys!"

Pascal nods, smirking back at him. "-And we'll never forget it," he whispers.

Lazlo cocks his head, "Forget what?"

Circe returns from the voting box, taking her seat between Vidcund and Loki. She slyly waves to Vidcund.

"I'll go get the votes," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, walking over to the voting station to retrieve the box. The host returns a few seconds later, placing his hand on top of the voting box.

The Unsavory Charlatan sighs. "If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and they would like to play it, now would be the time to do so," he says; no one moves. "Alright then, once the votes are read, the decision is final, the person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes," the Unsavory Charlatan says, reaching into the box to retrieve the first piece of parchment.

"First vote - Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan says, reaching into the box and grabbing another piece of parchment, "Second vote – Loki. That's two votes Loki," the host recaps.

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box again and opens the next piece of parchment. "Third vote – Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, revealing the vote to the survivors. He reaches into the box once more, "Fourth vote – Loki," the host says again, "That's four votes Loki."

Loki turns to Vidcund, clearly panicked. Pascal leans forward from behind him. " _Wait for it..._ " he whispers to his rival.

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the box and pulls out the next vote. "Fifth vote – Pollination Tech #9," he states, grabbing another vote and turning it over, "Sixth vote – Pollination Tech #9," he reveals, "That's four votes Loki, two votes Pollination Tech #9."

The host sighs as he reaches his hand into the voting box for the seventh time that day. "Seventh vote – Pollination Tech #9," he says once more, his hands cramping up a bit as he grabs yet another piece of parchment, "Eighth vote – Pollination Tech #9," he states. In front of him, Jenny looks distressed.

"Alright, so here's where we stand. We are tied with four votes for Loki and four votes for Pollination Tech #9 with one vote left," he recaps, "If this vote is for anyone but the two men that I have previously named then we will be forced to do a tiebreaker. If not, then either Loki or Pollination Tech #9 will become the sixth person voted out of this game and the first member of our jury," he says, reaching into the voting box for the ninth time, "I'll read the vote."

The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the final vote and opens it up, sighing as he glances down at the piece of parchment. "Sixth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the first member of our jury is…Pollination Tech #9," he says, turning over the final vote. "Pollination Tech #9, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Nearby, Loki has his head between his legs, trying to control his shock. Vidcund gently pats Loki's back as Crystal, Nervous, and Pollination Tech #9 himself stand speechless behind him. Crystal and Nervous Subject walk over and hug Pollination Tech #9 before Jenny gets up and embraces him, bursting into tears.

"It's alright Jenny, I'll be fine," he reassures her, "Stay strong," he adds, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Do it for the kids."

Jenny pulls back and weakly nods, brushing the hair away from her tear-drenched face. She takes her seat down on the stool next to Crystal. Crystal wraps her arm around her as Pollination Tech #9 places his torch down in front of the Unsavory Charlatan.

"Pollination Tech #9, the tribe has spoken," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, snuffing out Pollination Tech #9's torch, "It's time for you to go."

Pollination Tech #9 nods and turns around, giving a big wave to the others. "Goodbye guys and good luck! Remember, I'll be watching, so you better give it your all!" he calls out, before exiting the premises.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods and turns back to the eight remaining castaways. "Well you've made your decision, but at what cost?" he asks them, pausing a bit to allow his words to sink in, "There is no telling what will happen from here. Grab your stuff and head back to camp. Goodnight."

The eight remaining survivors grab their belongings and exit the tribal council area, walking into the night.

 **Pollination Tech #9 Smith  
** _Closing Words_

Wow. That was incredible. I can't get over how great this experience was for me. I made a few friends, I got to spend time with my neighbors, and even though I only got to spend a few days with my wife, I enjoyed every minute of it. I am looking forward to being a part of the jury. I heard they have this pretty awesome place called Ponderosa where all the cast-offs get to hang out, so that should be fun. Good luck guys, especially you Jenny. I know you'll make the kids proud. You already made me proud.

 _Next time on Survivor…_

… _All secrets are out and things are about to get crazy…_

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

Vengeful Circe is back! And my God, I've missed her!

… _and no one regrets it more than Vidcund…_

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

You know how you regret doing something so much that you feel like you're going to vomit every time you open your mouth? Yeah, that's only a fraction of what I'm experiencing right now!

 _...And just when things couldn't get any worse…_

"Those guys got another thing coming if they think they can outplay me!" Circe tells the camera, "If they think I'm just a pretty face who's going to follow along with their little master plan, then they're sadly mistaken."

… _they do…_

"We're losing him!" Pascal shouts to his brother.

Lazlo scrunches his forehead, "Did we ever have him?"

… _And then…_

"I'll vote off every one of you Curiouses until there's nothing left of you!" Circe yells, half of the tribe looking terrified behind her.

Pascal steps in front of his youngest brother, his stance firm. "Psh, yeah right. We're not scared of you! Right, Lazlo?"

Pascal turns around only to find Lazlo cowering in fear, his whole body shaking.

… _All that and more, next time!_


	5. Episode 5: Wide Open

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Five –** _Wide Open_

All eight remaining survivors return to Vidcund Sucks' old campsite and begin putting away their things. Jenny lags behind the rest of the group, strangely silent to her three former Death Conqueror teammates.

"Well guys, I know that wasn't pretty, but it had to be done," Pascal speaks to his tribemates. All of the scientists nod as Jenny disappears into the woods. Nervous and Crystal turn to each other, exchanging knowing glances; neither of them saying a word.

 _Day 13_

The ocean waves hit the beach as the sun continues to rise above the horizon. The Curious brothers and Loki are seen near the shore, attempting to collect fish for the day. Crystal is sitting across the sand in the shelter, sighing as she watches all four of them happily conversing with each other. Both she and Nervous are looking miserable.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I woke up today feeling absolutely disgusted. I'm sick of sitting here just waiting for my impending doom. I didn't come here only to give up on day thirteen and let some other people decide my fate. It's time to take action, and if I end up crashing and burning, then you know what? At least I can leave here knowing I wasn't a floater. Be careful guys, cause this game is about to be cracked wide open!

...

" _The guys are using Circe,"_ Crystal continues to tell the camera, watching as Circe stands a ways from the men in the distance, _"And she doesn't even know it! I can't, in good conscience, watch her get played until they decide to throw her to the curb. But I got to play this safe, because if I'm not careful, this whole thing could blow up in my face."_

Crystal sighs and nudges Nervous in the side; knocking him awake. "I'm sick of this," she whispers to him.

Nervous yawns a bit and rubs his tired eyes. "Sick of what?" he wonders.

"I'm sick of being on the bottom," Crystal clarifies, "We need to start playing to win, Nervous! We don't want to end up sixth or seventh place!"

"Well that's easier said than done," Nervous speaks up, watching the guys from across the beach, "You saw what happened last night. We're on the bottom, Crystal, and there's no way out of the bottom."

Crystal shakes her head, "We may be on the bottom, but there's always a way out of the bottom!" Crystal tells him, "We just need to find a crack in the main alliance and act on it. And I think I know exactly how to do it!" Crystal whisper exclaims, narrowing in on Circe.

A few minutes later, Crystal is leading Circe through the woods, dragging her by the arm as Nervous follows close behind.

"Crystal," Circe says, her face filled with confusion, "Where the hell are you taking me?" she asks.

"Just come on, there's something that I need you to see!" Crystal dodges, "Just stay quiet," she warns, before leading the pair further towards the campsite. The trio stops suddenly and makes their way into some bushes.

 _Meanwhile – On the Beach_

Pascal and Lazlo are lying down inside of the shelter, looking up at the stacks of bamboo that are aligning the roof of it. "If you had to guess, how many would you say there are?" Lazlo asks his oldest brother, pointing up at the ceiling.

Pascal scrunches his forehead as Vidcund crouches down and climbs into the shelter next to them. "Hmm…I'd say about two or three."

"Ack," Vidcund groans, attempting to brush the dirt off of his arms, "I feel so dirty!" he tells them, turning to Pascal, "That was the worst idea you've ever had!" he exclaims.

"You mean the one yesterday?" he asks; Vidcund nods. "Are you sure about that?" Pascal states, sitting up on his elbows, "Cause I've had some pretty bad ideas."

Vidcund lies down in the shelter and groans, covering his face with his hands. "You're the worst brother ever."

"Ah yes," Pascal says, "Because making you seduce a hot woman to save Loki's ass and having you get lucky on national television, truly makes me the worst brother ever."

"WHAT?!" a voice blares out behind them. The three Curious brothers quickly scan the area, looking for the source of the noise. All of a sudden, Circe stomps on to the campsite, her face fuming. "You used me to save Loki?!" Circe yells, narrowing in on Vidcund, "What kind of sick, twisted move is that?!" she snarls. Behind her, Crystal and Nervous have sneaked to the other side of the beach.

Vidcund quickly stands up from the shelter and turns to face his ex-girlfriend. "Circe, you don't get it-"

"Oh, I don't get it, do I?" Circe continues to rage, "Then tell me, what kind of dumbass move were you doing instead?!"

"Geez Circe, calm down," Pascal begins, stepping out of the shelter as well. "It's not like we were doing anything that you hadn't tried earlier."

Circe rolls her eyes, "Oh please! You have no proof of that!" she exclaims, pointing accusingly at the oldest Curious brother, "If anything that was personal and non-strategic!" Circe yells louder, "I thought you three would be smart enough to not mess with me, but obviously I was mistaken! I hope it was worth it, Vid, because I'm prepared to vote off every single one of you Curiouses until there's nothing left of you!"

Vidcund steps back, cringing a bit as Pascal moves forward, looking Circe straight in the eyes. "Psh, yeah right," he states, "We're not scared of you. Right, Lazlo?" he asks. Pascal turns around, only to find his youngest brother cowering in fear; his whole body shaking.

Pascal sighs and shakes his head a bit before turning back to Circe, his stance firm. "Well I'm not," he tells her.

"Well you should be," Circe warns him, "Because you've just unleashed the beast!" Circe quickly flips around and storms off the lot, leaving all of her teammates behind. Crystal and Nervous watch from the shoreline as the Curious brothers all stand in silence away from them. Crystal holds her hand out, giving Nervous a backwards high-five; slight grins forming on their faces. Across the beach, Vidcund stands near the shelter, his face filled with dread; fearful of what is to come.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

Have you ever regretted doing something so much that you felt like you're going to vomit every time you opened your mouth? Yeah, that's only a fraction of the fear that I am experiencing right now!

…

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

Vengeful Circe is back! And my God, I've missed her! Those guys got another thing coming if they think they can outplay me! If those Curiouses think I'm just a pretty face who's going to go along with their little master plan, then they're sadly mistaken.

 _Fifteen Minutes Later – In the Woods_

Jenny is wandering through the woods, scanning the tops of the trees for any signs of manmade objects. Jenny smiles when she notices the camera, holding up the unrolled piece of parchment in her right hand. "At the last immunity challenge, I found a clue to what I think is the hidden immunity idol," she tells them, "If I can find this thing, I'd have a real game-changer in my hands-" Jenny quickly turns around, almost bumping into Crystal and Nervous in the process. "Oh!" Jenny exclaims, holding her hand up to her chest, "Sorry. I didn't see you guys there."

"It's okay, we just got here," Nervous informs him; his eyes trailing down to the piece of parchment, "Uh…what are you doing?" he asks.

"Well…uh," Jenny begins, scanning the area for any other contestants. Finding none, she gestures the pair forward and lowers her voice. "If you guys must know, I found a clue to the hidden idol a few days ago, and I've been looking for it," she informs her tribemates, "After Pollination Tech #9 was blindsided yesterday, I really need to make sure that this idol doesn't end up in the wrong hands," Jenny says, "The last thing we want to do is give the scientists any more power."

Crystal nods. "Believe me, you don't have to tell us twice," she responds, "But don't worry, we'll help you find it. Here, give me the clue."

A few hours later, all three of the survivors are still searching for the hidden immunity idol – Jenny is near the waterfall, Nervous is searching in some shrubs, and Crystal is digging underneath a tall tree. All of a sudden, Crystal perks up, her hand rubbing up against a ridged surface in the dirt. Crystal briefly surveys her surroundings before pulling up the wrapped up object in one swift motion. Crystal takes a deep breath as she unwraps the cloth, revealing the hidden immunity idol.

"Oh my gosh," Crystal whispers to the camera, "I've been searching for one of these for thirteen days and I finally found one," she narrates, covering up the idol a bit with the navy cloth. She looks up, noticing Jenny still looking for the idol in the distance. Crystal sighs and looks down at the idol, rubbing one of the edges of it with her finger. "It's great," she says, "But it's not mine."

Crystal stands up and makes her way over to the mother. "Hey Jenny," Crystal calls out, moving towards her. She holds out the idol, "Here," she says once Jenny turns around; holding out the idol to her, "This is yours."

Jenny looks down at the idol for a moment, before locking eyes with Crystal. "Nah, you keep it," she tells her, "I trust you. Besides, I know how bad you want it."

"Really?" Crystal squeaks, unable to believe what she is hearing. Jenny nods. "Thank you, Jenny!" Crystal exclaims, throwing her arms around her.

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Field Researcher/Mother of Two_

Look, I know that seemed like a stupid move, but in order for my plan to work in the long run, I need Crystal to trust me. And what exactly is my plan? Let's just say you'll find out soon enough.

 _Later that Afternoon_

Pascal, Vidcund, and Lazlo are standing at the edge of the shore, digging through some ocean debris. "Hey!" Pascal's face lights up as he spots a smooth object in the sand, "Check it out! I always wanted one of these!" he exclaims, holding up a conch shell. He puts it up to his ear.

"DAMN IT, CIRCE! I AM NOT YOUR LOVE PUPPET!" Loki screams from across the beach. Pascal puts down the conch shell and swiftly hands it to Vidcund.

"It's your girlfriend," he informs him. Vidcund rolls his eyes.

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

These last few days here have been really tense. Circe found out this morning that we tricked her, and now things are ten times worse than before. The strange thing is, she's been spending most of her morning fighting with Loki about things that don't even have to do with anything! All I'm saying is, we're probably getting a good glimpse as to what their marriage is like all the time. And let's just say, it isn't pretty.

...

The three Curious brothers are now lying down in the shelter, fifteen minutes after Loki and Circe's 'love puppet' explosion. Vidcund groans as he holds his buff over his aching forehead, attempting to rub the pain away. "Tell me again why we kept the two of them together," he groggily groans to his brothers.

"-Because we were trying to spare Loki," Pascal responds almost autonomously.

"Oh, right," Vidcund replies, turning a little to the left. All of a sudden, Loki walks into the shelter, seething after his fight with Circe.

"Move it, dipwad!" he exclaims, pushing Vidcund over by the shoulder.

Vidcund moans and sits up a bit, eyeing his rival. "Ack, why do you have to sit here?" he states, clearly irritated, "The other side of the shelter is wide open!" Vidcund waves over to the open place with his hand. Behind him, Pascal sighs and shakes his head, immediately standing up and exiting the structure.

"True," Loki replies, "But according to a long series of complex algorithms, this is the best spot," he tells the scientist, shoving his way in next to him, "Move it, cutie!"

Vidcund sits up completely and takes his buff of his forehead. He tilts his head, clearly confused; unsure if he has heard Loki correctly. "Did you just call me 'cutie'?" he asks.

"Uh…no," Loki quickly responds, glancing around the shelter a few times, "You misheard me. That was a Scandinavian curse word."

"A Scandinavian curse word?" Lazlo speaks up from his position behind the pair, "Come on, you can do better than that."

"He really can't," Vidcund groans, quickly getting up from out of the shelter. He tosses his buff at Loki and exits the premises. Loki sighs and looks down at the floor.

Lazlo sighs and slowly pulls his own buff away from his face. He peeks out at Loki, who is still slumped near the entrance of the shelter. "Look, if you want my brother just say so," he speaks suddenly, "Just make a move."

Loki turns around and glares at Lazlo. "I don't want your brother," he states firmly.

Lazlo rolls his eyes. "Yeah right," he huffs, before stepping out of the shelter; leaving Loki alone. Loki sits in silence for a few minutes, his mind racing a mile a minute as his eyes trail down to the shelter's bamboo floor. Loki slowly picks up Vidcund's discarded buff and examines it. He tightens his grip around it and gives a small sigh.

 _Reward Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, gesturing in all eight remaining survivors to the center of the beach. The castaways all stop on the gigantic bright yellow tribal mat and look up at him. The Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together, clearly ecstatic, "Alright, who's ready to get to today's super exciting reward challenge?" he asks.

"Oh God, he's going to kill us," Vidcund states, creeped out by the humongous smile that is on the host's face.

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head, waving away the concern. "No, no," he states, "I'm just thrilled because today we are going to be doing something a little bit different. Today you guys will be playing in pairs," he informs them, "Whichever pair builds the best kite from these supplies," the Unsavory Charlatan gestures down at the four craft piles that are lined up along the sand, "Wins reward," he says.

"Now, in this case, the best kite will be determined by flying distance," he explains, "Whoever gets their kite in the air and uses up all of their string first – wins! Each pair's string is two different colors: white and gray. As soon as you get to the gray section at the base of your roll, you win. You wanna know what you're playing for?" he asks. "It's pretty great."

"Ooh! Ooh! Is it a date with me?" Pascal asks, bouncing up and down on the mat.

The Unsavory Charlatan's face drops. "No," he snarls, quickly turning to the other survivors. "The winning pair will spend the night in an actual cabin by the lakeside waterfront," he explains.

Pascal taps his chin in a ponder, his youngest brother doing the same next to him. "So…a cabin on a lake?" he reiterates.

Next to him, Vidcund's eyes widen. "Oh God, he really is going to kill us!"

"Hey, did we ever lock the back door?" Lazlo speaks up, moving his hand away from his face.

The Unsavory Charlatan slaps his face in frustration. "Anyway," he groans, "The winners will be transported to the cabin tonight, where they will have access to food, a bathroom, and an actual bed. They will spend the night there and return tomorrow morning in time for the next immunity challenge," he explains further.

"Now to pick partners, I'll draw names out of this hat," he says, taking his hat off of his head and showcasing the eight slips of paper to the survivors. "When I draw your name, pick a partner. If I call your name and you already have a partner, then I'll draw again. We'll keep doing this until everyone is paired up," he says.

Vidcund shakes his head and sighs. "Oh man, this is gym class all over again."

The Unsavory Charlatan mixes up the slips of paper a bit, before reaching his hand in and grabbing one. He opens the slip of paper up and reads the name. "Loki," he calls out.

Loki crosses his arms and smiles matter-of-factly. "I want blondie," he states.

Next to him, Crystal steps back a bit. "Really?" she squeaks.

"Oh no," Jenny groans.

Loki shakes his head and gestures over to his teammate. " _Guy_ blondie," he states, smirking at Vidcund.

"-Of course," Vidcund groans, before walking over to the Unsavory Charlatan with a sigh. "Look, I know you're not one who is ever looking to do me a favor, but can you _please_ let me work with someone else?" he asks, "Haven't I done enough with this guy to get you good ratings?"

The Unsavory Charlatan rubs his chin, seemingly thinking this over. "Hmm…you do have a point," he says, "I'll tell you what, I'll let you work with somebody else if Loki doesn't draw your name on his first try," he says, holding the hat out to Loki.

Loki reaches into the hat and pulls out a slip of paper. He unfolds it. "I got Vidcund," he says, holding up the piece of paper.

"Wait a minute, let me see that!" Vidcund exclaims. He walks over and grabs the slip of paper from his rival; Vidcund flips the paper both ways, scanning it over. Sure enough, his first name is printed on it in gigantic letters. "Damn it!" he curses.

"Out of curiosity, who did you want to pick?" Crystal asks, stepping forward from the tribal mat.

Vidcund turns to her, "Well, I was hoping for Lazlo," he answers, "But I would've settled for Pascal."

Pascal springs up, pumping his fist in celebration. "Yes! Take that, Mom!"

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together. "Alright. So it's settled. Vidcund and Loki are our first pair!" Vidcund groans.

Loki looks to Vidcund standing next to him; his facial expression surprisingly soft. "I don't get it," he says, "I thought you liked me."

"I don't like you, I tolerate you. There's a big difference," Vidcund coldly states, staring straight ahead; his arms crossed, "And let's face it, at this point, that's all you can ever hope for."

"Oh," Loki musters out, incredibly hurt by this comment.

The Unsavory Charlatan pulls out another name from his black top hat. "Circe," he calls out, holding the unfolded slip of paper in his hand, "Who do you want as your partner?"

"-I'll take Vu," Circe says, pointing her shoulder at Crystal.

"Okay," the Unsavory Charlatan says, amazed by how painless that decision was. He reaches into the hat once more, "Lazlo," he calls out, turning to the youngest Curious brother.

Lazlo turns around and glances at the three remaining options. "Ooh! Ooh!" Pascal cries, holding his hand up in the air as he jumps up and down in front of him.

"Hmm…" Lazlo begins, holding his hand up to this face ponderously. He breaks into a smile. "Okay, I pick Pascal."

"WHOO! YEAH! I WASN'T PICKED LAST!" Pascal exclaims, racing over and hugging his brother. He points up to the sky. "IN YOUR FACE, WILL WRIGHT!" he shouts. Pascal turns to Nervous and Jenny. "I love you both," he adds.

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head a few times and takes another aspirin. "That means by process of elimination, you two are partners," he says, gesturing to both Jenny and Nervous.

"Neat!" Nervous grins.

"Alright. Everyone take your places, the challenge is about to begin!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces.

Fifteen minutes, later all eight survivors are standing near their assigned craft piles. The Unsavory Charlatan walks forward, stopping in front of the contestants. "For reward, survivors ready?" he asks; the host stops, narrowing in on one of the survivors. "Are you kidding me?!" he cries.

Everyone turns around only to find Pascal already tangled up in his team's kite string. He darts his eyes from side to side. "What?" Pascal speaks up, "I tripped over the pile!"

The Unsavory Charlatan groans, before gesturing a few of the crew members over to Pascal. "Hang on, this'll just be a minute," he tells the other castaways.

Fifty minutes later, the crew members have successful untangled Pascal and all eight survivors are lined up ready for the challenge. The Unsavory Charlatan looks over to them and takes a deep breath. "Alright. Here we go…for real this time. For reward, survivors ready? Go!"

All at once, the eight survivors race towards their piles and begin working on their kites. Circe grabs two pieces of wood from the pile and starts gluing them together. "So, what three dimensional shape should we make our kite?" Circe asks Crystal, who is busy constructing the tail from some spare fabric.

"Actually, I was thinking we could go for a more traditional look," Crystal tells her, "I mean, there's a reason why there are so many of them out there."

"Hmm…I like it," Circe says.

Crystal stops what she is doing and looks up from her work. "You do?" Crystal chimes, a hint of surprise in her tone.

Nearby, Pascal and Lazlo are brainstorming ideas for their kite. "Hey, I know! Let's make it a circle!" Pascal suggests, "People love circles, right?"

"Uh, I guess," Lazlo says, drawing out a small blueprint in the sand with one of their sticks, "But I think we're being judged on practicality."

"Okay, hexagon it is!" Pascal says, bending over and gathering some supplies.

Next to them, Jenny and Nervous are taping crepe paper along the side of their standard modelled kite. "Yes! This is starting to look just like the one Jill has," Jenny smiles, taping more purple crepe paper to the back of their structure. "We make a great team, Nervous! Nervous?" Jenny repeats. She glances up at him, only to find him staring off into the distance. Jenny turns her head a bit to where he is looking, catching Crystal in their line of view, working hard on her kite. Jenny turns back to Nervous and nods. "Ah," she states.

A few feet away, Vidcund stretches his arms up, giving a gigantic yawn as he still stands over the craft pile. "Well, there's no way that we'll be able to catch up with the others, so we may as well quit now," he says, stretching his right arm out in front of him. Below him, Loki is busy working on the kite.

"What are you talking about, dingus? Everyone is still in the planning stages, we have plenty of time to win!" Loki retorts, tying a tail to the kite.

Vidcund looks down at him and yawns. "Yeah well, I'm pretty tired, so I'm just going to go and lie down in the dirt over there-" Loki stands up and grabs Vidcund by the shoulder, holding him back. "-Hey!"

"Look, this may be hard for you to believe, but I actually want to win this challenge," Loki tells him, staring right into his rival's eyes, "I've gone thirteen days without bathing and I'm not about to go fourteen! And quite frankly, I'm surprised that you don't feel the same!"

"Well I'm sorry that I don't want to spend the night with someone who clearly wants to make moves on me!" Vidcund fires back, his arms crossed. Nearby, all six of the remaining survivors are watching their conversation intently.

Loki shakes his head, giving an over-exaggerated laugh. "Look dipwad," Loki snarls, getting up in Vidcund's face, "I don't know where you got this strange idea that I have a crush on you, but I can guarantee you that this is nothing more than a misread of your massive ego!" he yells, "Believe me, I would like nothing more than to stay the hell away from you for all eternity!"

"Then why did you pick me as your partner?!" Vidcund shouts, flailing his arms out, catching the end of the kite string in the process, "For once in your life, would it kill you to have some damn consistency?! First you steal my girlfriend, then you make me wet my pants, then you hit on me at your bachelor party, then you married said girlfriend, and then you hit on me again and called me cute. Make up your mind, which is it?! Do you like me or not?!"

"Why would that even make a difference? You don't like me, you even said it yourself," Loki replies; frustration in his voice. He turns away from Vidcund; his arms crossed.

"I-eugh," Vidcund stops, now noticing that everyone on the beach is staring directly at them. "Uh, shouldn't you guys be working on the challenge?" he asks.

"And miss the show?" the Unsavory Charlatan comments, stuffing a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "I want to see if you guys win this."

Vidcund rolls his eyes as he walks over to the others. "Please," Vidcund states, "Earl E. Demise has a better chance of coming back from the dead than we do at winning this thing-" Vidcund states, holding his hand up.

Lazlo cautiously steps forward, "Uh…Vid?" he begins, gesturing down.

Vidcund looks down at his right hand, which is holding the gray end of the string, tangled up between his fingers. Vidcund eyes slowly trail up the other end of the string, only to find Loki's kite soaring majestically in the air. "Oh come on!" Vidcund cries, throwing his hand down.

"Well that's it, folks. Vidcund and Loki win the reward challenge!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, wrapping an arm around each of them. Vidcund stares down at the sand uneasy as Loki refuses to look at him. "The boat will come by to pick you guys up tonight," he informs them, "Head back to camp and pack up your things. This should be one hell of a night," the Unsavory Charlatan says, beaming.

Vidcund turns and glares at the host. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Oh yes, very much so," the Unsavory Charlatan responds. He gazes at the other survivors. "As for the rest of you, I have nothing for you, except a small vacation away from these two," he gestures to Vidcund and Loki, "So you're welcome. Use it wisely," he advises.

 _Later that Night_

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

Tonight I am going into what may very well be my death. Thanks to this stupid reward challenge, I am going to spend the night in a creepy cabin with an unstable man that has a massive crush on me. I hope you're happy!

...

All eight survivors walk back on to their campsite and start going their separate ways. "Congratulations Loki," Crystal states as she heads into the forest, Loki giving her an unenthusiastic 'thanks' in response.

Behind him, Pascal stops in front of the shelter, letting out a rather heavy sigh. "Well, we tried," he tells his youngest brother.

Lazlo scrunches his forehead. "We did?" he states.

"Hey, I never said we tried our best," Pascal clarifies as Lazlo nods in agreement. Pascal walks over to Vidcund, who is now sitting slumped in the bamboo shelter. "Hey Vid, are you alright?" he asks.

Vidcund looks up at Pascal, a scowl still apparent on his face. "What do you think?" he grouches.

"I think you need to stop, take a deep breath, and look on the bright side," Pascal advises, a cheerful grin on his face.

"Uh huh," Vidcund glares, "And what exactly would that be?"

Pascal rubs his chin, pondering this over deeply. "Hang on, it'll come to me!"

The Unsavory Charlatan steps on to the beach and clasps his hands together; Pascal screams when he sees him. "Alright, are you guys ready to go?" the host asks, giving Vidcund a sassy smirk.

Vidcund sighs and rolls his eyes. "No. But I know there's no way out of this so…whatever," he shrugs. Vidcund grabs his belongings from the side of the shelter and turns to his brothers. "When we get home, be sure to mark this down as the new worst day of my life."

"Sure thing, Vid!" Pascal chimes.

Vidcund steps on to the boat, looking up when Loki passes by; Loki ignores him. The Unsavory Charlatan jumps on to the boat, giving a small wave to the other survivors, who have lined up by the shore. "And we're off!" he announces, kicking the boat into gear.

Back on the shoreline, the other six survivors continue to watch them. Lazlo stands closest to the ocean, holding his hand up against his forehead to block out the wind. "Geez, looks like Vid is about to vomit."

"Can you blame him?" Pascal speaks up next to his brother as the others make their way back to the campsite, "I mean, he has to spend his reward time with Loki…and he's like a seven at best."

Lazlo puts his hand down and stares at Pascal, a bizarre look on his face. Pascal shifts his eyes from side to side. "What?" he states.

"Hey, I know this might be kind of a weird question," Lazlo begins, shaking his head a few times before gazing out at the ocean, "But do you think Loki has a thing for Vidcund?"

"I don't know, but it sure seems like it," Pascal responds, "Either that or he's in love with himself. I mean, in all honesty, he and Vid do look similar. And they also have the same personality, hair color, eye color, and aspiration," Pascal comments, pausing to think this one over, "Gosh, Circe really does have a type."

 _Meanwhile – In the Woods_

"Crystal, I'm not going to lie to you," Circe speaks up, standing near the waterfall beside the young townie, "There's a reason why I picked you as my partner earlier."

"There was?" Crystal replies.

Circe nods. "You see, I want to get rid of someone and I need your help," she continues, watching as Jenny walks up behind them, "Or-err, both of you guys' help," she quickly corrects. "Vidcund tricked me a few days ago and I want him _gone_. Not to mention the fact that he's probably wooing my husband as we speak-"

"So you want Vidcund gone, huh?" Crystal swiftly butts in; she turns to Jenny, "I think we can manage that."

Next to her, Jenny is crossing her arms. "I don't know, I'm not sure that's the best option. I mean, call me crazy, but Vidcund doesn't really seem all that focused on the game. Seems like he's been too distracted by other things lately to play it properly," Jenny analyzes, "Getting rid of him over a real threat would be foolish."

"Uh-huh," Circe responds, crossing her arms over her torso; irritation in her voice, "And who would be the real threat in your eyes?"

"Pascal," Jenny answers, not having to think twice about it, "He's the brains, he's running this entire operation – the other three are just following his orders."

Circe rolls her eyes. " _Pascal_?" she repeats, "Please! That guy hasn't made an intelligent decision since he popped that alien out of his ass!"

"Come on Circe, I'm their sister. Don't you think I know what I'm talking about?" Jenny wonders, taking a step towards her teammate, "This is all an act. He's playing us! And obviously he's doing it well."

Circe groans, slapping her face in frustration. "I'm still not convinced. Getting rid of Pascal over Vidcund would be a mistake! What do you think, Crystal?" she asks as the pair turns to the woman in question.

Crystal sweatdrops, her mind now racing a mile a minute. "I-uh…I don't know," she states, "I'll have to think about it. Maybe we should just wait until the immunity challenge is over. Who knows? This decision could take care of itself," she tells them.

Circe and Jenny exchange glances with one another; Circe shrugs. "Girl makes a good point," she seconds, "We'll meet up tomorrow after the challenge to discuss this. In the meantime, I have some havoc to wreak!"

 _Nighttime – In the Cabin_

Vidcund and Loki are sitting across from each other in the medieval-style gently lit kitchen eating the seafood dinner that had been left for them; neither of them has said a word to one another since the reward challenge. Loki sighs and gazes down at the lobster on his plate, picking at it with his fork.

"Ugh, this lobster is undercooked," he groans, setting his utensils down at the sides of his plate, "I can't eat it!" Loki takes his napkin off of his lap and tosses it on to the table, "-It's disgusting!"

Across the table, Vidcund is trying to prevent himself from cracking up. "You're so picky," he smiles.

"I'm not picky, I just know what I want," Loki informs him, as he props his head up with his hand, "And I don't want this freakin' lobster that I've been stuck with for five years!" he states, covering his face with his hands, "I wanted calamari, but I can't go for that anymore," he mutters.

Vidcund gets up and walks over to the kitchen sink, putting his plate away. "I don't know," he shrugs, stopping in front of his rival on his way back, "I think you could."

Vidcund walks into the hallway, leaving Loki alone. Loki looks down at his plate, deep in thought. All of a sudden, he looks up, making eye contact with the camera. "I-uh, gotta go," he announces, sitting up from his chair.

A few minutes later, Loki walks into the dimly lit bedroom. He finds Vidcund lying down on the queen-sized bed on his side, turned towards the open window. Upon hearing him, Vidcund moves his head a little, his eyes closed as he attempts to rest; lying his head on his hands. Loki slowly approaches the bed and leans forward, nudging Vidcund in the shoulder. "Vidcund," Loki whispers, "Vidcund!"

"Mm…what?" Vidcund moans, not bothering to open his eyes.

Loki lunges forward and presses his lips against Vidcund's, wrapping his arms around his rival's upper body in a passionate embrace. Vidcund immediately turns and lies down, the kiss instantly waking him up from his peaceful rest. Loki pulls back, Vidcund's eyes still wide in shock as they both sit up on the bed. Vidcund slowly brings his hand up to mouth; his face flushed.

"So uh…what did you think?" Loki asks into the silence.

"Well," Vidcund begins, readjusting his legs as he stares straight ahead at the ocean, "Do you still want calamari?"

Loki nods; his eyes shining. "Yes. Very much so," he answers.

"Oh," Vidcund speaks up; he clears his throat, "Well, I think it's safe to say that it wants you, too." The pair turns and smiles at each other.

Five hours later, Vidcund wakes up on the bed in the middle of the night. Vidcund groans and attempts to turn his head, but Loki is lying down asleep on top of him; spooning Vidcund from behind. Vidcund groans as he tries to move forward, but his rival's left leg is draped over him. Vidcund turns to the camera, trying to hide the gigantic smile that has formed on his face.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

I don't think I'll ever be able to describe this to anyone…which is probably a good thing. But God, I really want to! _(smiles bigger)_

 _Day 14_

Crystal Vu is sitting on the edge of the shoreline, looking out at the ocean. Nervous walks up from behind and sits down next to her. Sensing his presence, Crystal sighs. "I just don't know what we're going to do," Crystal speaks suddenly, "If we don't get rid of the right one tomorrow, we could be toast. And not the good kind," Crystal adds.

"There's a good kind?" Nervous wonders, tilting his forehead, "I wouldn't know, I'm not allowed to eat it. Loki doesn't usually let me go in the kitchen."

Crystal scrunches her eyebrows and turns to him, this comment immediately catching her attention. "Then where do you eat?" she asks.

"-Basement," Nervous tells her, "Not like I'd want to eat in the kitchen anyway, a lot of times it turns into a real scream-fest."

Crystal nods. "You know, you don't have to live there if you don't want to."

"I know," Nervous answers, "But I don't really have a lot of good options right now," he says, looking out into the distance, "Here's to hoping things will change," he states, enthusiastically holding his hand up.

"Things will change, just wait," Crystal tells him, "But first, we need to figure out how we're going to win this thing. After all, it's you and me, final two."

"Really?" Nervous squeaks, unable to believe what he is hearing, "But what about-?" Nervous turns his head, noticing Vidcund and Loki walking back on to the beach; all of the other survivors are greeting them. Nervous and Crystal exchange glances with one another before getting up and joining the other survivors.

"How was it?" Pascal asks, "Did you get real food?"

Vidcund and Loki look to each other and smile before Vidcund turns to answer him. "Yes," Vidcund says, repositioning the strap of his bag on his shoulder, "But _someone_ didn't eat it because it wasn't prepared properly."

Loki shrugs, surprisingly cheery, "Yeah well, I still got my fill," he beams as he steps towards the campsite, "Excuse me, fellas," Loki states, stepping around the Curious brothers. Next to them, Circe is crossing her arms; her face filled with suspicion.

"Alright, what did you do?" Circe asks Loki once the pair is alone in the woods, "Being nice to Vidcund, saying 'excuse me'?! Something obviously happened last night."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, dear," Loki replies, the smile still not leaving his face.

Circe sighs and rolls her eyes as Loki grabs his canteen and takes a swig of its contents. "I just can't believe that you could be this stupid!" Circe choruses.

Loki tilts his head, "What do you mean?"

"I mean he's obviously using you, and you're too love-struck to even know it!" Circe shouts.

Loki crosses his arms and glares. "Please! You're only saying that because you're jealous," he retaliates, "I'm sorry dear, but you had your chance. I can't help it if your husband is such a hot commodity!"

"Listen to yourself, Loki, you sound insane!" Circe fires back, "You're talking about the same man that seduced me to get my vote a few days ago. What could possibly make you think that he's not doing the same to you?"

Loki's smile fades as he tries to think this over. "Well, uh-" he begins, bringing his hand up to his mouth. "I guess I hadn't really thought of that."

"Exactly," Circe adds in point, "Cause you never really thought about anything. And even after all this, I still have your back!"

Loki's gaze drifts down to the ground, his face filling with sorrow. "I guess I just thought this time was different," he speaks to the dirt.

"Well it's not," Circe confirms, lowering her voice a bit, "It never will be."

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

Look, I know this is kind of harsh, but right now I need to do everything that I can to win this thing. And if that means going in there and planting these seeds of doubt, then so be it. I just need to make sure that I go into this immunity challenge with my head in the game. I have to win this today, because I know for a fact that all four of those men want me gone.

 _Meanwhile – Near the Campfire_

Pascal, Vidcund, and Lazlo are conversing with one another alone on the beach as they prepare for their next challenge. "So what do you think Loki's like in bed? Do you think he's more like a kitten or wildebeest?" he asks his brothers.

Vidcund groans, shaking his head as the mood gets rather awkward. "We are _not_ having this conversation again," he states, watching as Loki walks towards the shelter in the distance.

"Yeah well-" Pascal begins, stopping when he notices Vidcund immediately stand up and walk over to their scientific rival. Pascal sighs. "I think we're losing him," he tells his brother.

Lazlo scrunches his forehead, "Did we ever have him?" he ponders.

Pascal shrugs. "Either way, we have to make sure one of us wins immunity tonight," he states, "The last thing we want is for Circe to throw a wrench in our plan."

"Don't worry, Pascal. We got this," Lazlo says, giving a firm nod.

 _Immunity Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as all eight of the remaining survivors walk towards the center of the beach. The tribe looks around in awe, finding a set of bamboo bleachers situated in front of the host. The Unsavory Charlatan gestures over to them, "Go ahead and take a seat," he instructs; grabbing the immunity necklace from Jenny as the survivors do so.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together. "Hello everyone, and welcome to the Survivor Auction!" he greets, "Below your seat you will each find a wallet filled with five hundred dollars. Go ahead and pull it out and hang on to it for the time being," he states; the survivors do what they are told. "Now before we get started, I would like to be the first to congratulate everyone on making it to this classic Survivor event," he beams.

"Even me?" Pascal speaks up.

The Unsavory Charlatan's face falls. "No," he states as he turns back to the others, "Now let me explain how this works. You have each been given five hundred dollars which you can use to bid on items that I will offer to you on this table," the Unsavory Charlatan tells them, stepping back and showcasing the bamboo table that is situated behind him. "Whoever bids the most on the item, will win it. Some items will remain covered, so you won't know what's underneath it, until you win it," he explains, "There's food, sentimental objects, and random prizes, so I think it's a great idea to bid. The auction will end before you know it, so if you see something you like, bid on it," the host suggests, "I was going to hop right into the auction, but I see someone has a question," the Unsavory Charlatan turns to the young woman who has her hand up, "Yes, Crystal?"

"Are we allowed to combine money?" she asks.

"Yes," the host nods, "You can combine money with other people and split the prize however you wish," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "Now, before Pascal asks a stupid question, let's get into the challenge!" he says, reaching behind the table and picking up a covered-up object. He turns to the survivors and uncovers the plate. "The first item up for bid is this hamburger, which comes with fries and this gigantic bottle of vodka."

"I bid three hundred dollars right now for just the alcohol," Vidcund comments; the Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head.

"Sorry, but if you want it, you're going to have to buy the whole thing," the Unsavory Charlatan informs him, "So, do I have any bids for the plate?"

Pascal raises his hand up, "Five cents!" he chimes.

"I bid twenty dollars, I'm hungry!" Lazlo states, holding his hand up as well.

"Fifty!" Crystal shouts behind him.

"One hundred!" Lazlo counter bids.

"One fifty!" Nervous bids behind Lazlo, gesturing between himself and Crystal, "We'll split it!"

Lazlo shrugs. "That's a bit too expensive for my taste, I'll fold."

"Alright," the Unsavory Charlatan says, banging his gavel, "Sold to the pair in the back. Come on over and eat this thing," he instructs them. Crystal and Nervous walk over and grab the plate, taking it back to their seat. They start eating.

Lazlo turns to his girlfriend. "How is it?" he asks her.

Crystal shrugs, taking a bite of her half of the hamburger. "Eh, I'm not impressed. Here, you can have my part. I know you're hungry," she states, offering it to him.

"Sweet!" Lazlo states, grabbing it from her and taking a bite.

Next to Lazlo, Vidcund watches as the Unsavory Charlatan puts yet another uncovered item on the display table. "Out of curiosity, where are you getting these items from?" Vidcund asks him.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and stares off behind the plant biologist; completely ignoring him. "Okay, up next is item number two: Loki's wallet!" he announces, uncovering the plate, which sure enough has the scientist's wallet on it.

"Five cents!" Pascal chimes.

"Wait, what?!" Loki cries, standing up in his front row seat, "Now come on! That's obviously not my-" Loki starts scrounging in his swim trunk pockets, "-Oh crap," he states, finding his pockets empty.

"Wait a minute, did you just steal things from our houses?" Vidcund asks, narrowing his eyes at the host as Vidcund stands up next to Loki.

The Unsavory Charlatan smirks. "Technically it's not stealing if I return it," he says, "And I'll return it _for a price_ ," he snarls, turning to Loki.

Pascal raises his hand enthusiastically in the air. "Ten cents!" he bids.

"That's not fair!" Loki shouts at the host, "I have over five hundred dollars in there!"

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles, crossing his arms matter-of-factly. "Then you better hurry up and bid before Pascal wins it."

Loki turns to the host, his arms crossed. "You're bluffing," he says, narrowing his eyes at him.

The Unsavory Charlatan tilts his head; his expression sassy. "Am I?" he states, challengingly.

Loki gives a groan. "Fine!" he gives in, rolling his eyes, "Ten dollars," he sighs.

"Fifteen!" Pascal counterbids.

"Twenty!"

"Two hundred and forty-five!" Pascal fires back.

"WHAT?!" Loki exclaims, turning around and glaring at the eldest Curious brother; Pascal smiles and waves at him.

"Two hundred and forty-five going once…going twice…" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, hovering his gavel over the table.

Loki groans, realizing that he really doesn't have a choice. "Fine. Two fifty!" he says.

"And now I've lost interest…" Pascal comments, a butterfly catching his eye, "Ooh, pretty!"

"Sold for two hundred and fifty dollars to its rightful owner!" the Unsavory Charlatan calls out. Loki steps forward and hands him the money, glaring daggers at the host as he snatches his wallet from him.

"Thanks a lot, dipward," he snarls, putting his wallet into his pocket.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and breathes in the fresh air surrounding them. "Man, I love a good auction!" he beams, "They're always filled with so much drama!" he states as he turns back to the contestants, grabbing the next item and placing it on the display table.

Vidcund groans, "Well at least this can't get much worse, right?" he asks his brothers.

"Up next is one of the Curious brothers' underpants!" the Unsavory Charlatan proclaims, uncovering a pair of green boxer shorts which are sitting in the center of a plate, "I'm not sure which one, so if you want them you're going to have to take a gamble with the cleanliness."

"-They're Vidcund's," Lazlo speaks up, taking another bite of his burger.

Behind him, Pascal nods. "Yeah, they're Vid's," he confirms, giving a laugh, "They have melons on them!"

In front of Pascal, Vidcund groans into his hands. "This is so embarrassing!"

"Relax, Vid. Everyone's already seen your underwear," Pascal attempts to console him, "-Or they will, after this episode airs."

"Wait, are they clean?" Loki asks the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan looks them over. "Eh, relatively," he answers.

"Five bucks!" Loki bids.

"What?! No!" Vidcund choruses next to him; unable to believe what he is hearing, "You are not buying my underwear! Ten."

Loki leans back, crossing his arms in a stance, "Fifteen!" he counterbids.

Vidcund turns to Loki, lowering his voice to a whisper. _"What are you doing?"_ he asks him.

" _Just paying you back for all the little games that you played with me yesterday!"_ Loki whisper-hisses.

" _Huh?"_ Vidcund states, clearly confused.

" _Don't act like you don't know, you little faker!"_ Loki snarls, _"That's the last time I trust you!"_

Vidcund tilts his forehead. _"What are you talking about? That wasn't fake!"_ he claims; the Unsavory Charlatan clears his throat.

"Uh, if you don't mind, I would like to get back to the auction before we are all bored to death by you guys' conversation," the host speaks up, "Now, I believe the current bid was fifteen dollars."

"Oh um…twenty," Vidcund says, gently shaking his head a few times, trying to snap himself out of it.

Loki raises his hand next to him. "Thirty," he states.

"Fifty!" Pascal choruses behind the pair. Vidcund turns around, giving his brother a glare. "What? They look comfortable!" he defends.

"Two hundred and fifty dollars!" Loki counterbids, a cold look on his face.

Vidcund groans and looks down at his money. "Two hundred and fifty-one," he bids, sounding defeated, knowing Loki cannot bid any further.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and bangs his gavel. "Sold once again to its rightful owner!" he announces as Vidcund walks over to the table to make the exchange.

"Unbelievable," Vidcund states, "I have to pay two hundred and fifty-one dollars for my own underpants," he whines, handing the Unsavory Charlatan the money.

"Lucky you," the Unsavory Charlatan replies.

Vidcund walks back to the bleachers and takes his seat down next to Loki. "Are you upset that I got these?" he asks, sadness gleaming in his eyes.

Loki shrugs. "Eh, I didn't really want them. I just wanted you to have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for it."

"Up next is an item that multiple people can win," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, reaching behind the table and holding up a stack of letters, "Give me twenty dollars and I'll give you a letter from home!"

"-Eh, I don't want it," Loki states, brushing it away.

Vidcund sits up in his seat. "Why would we buy those? Most of our family members are still here!"

"Yeah," Lazlo seconds, "Who wrote those letters?"

The Unsavory Charlatan leans forward on the display table and glares at them. "Look, I can guarantee you that every single one of these letters was written by someone who that particular person is related to, now do you want these or not?" he snarls. "If you do, come up here and give me twenty dollars," he instructs.

The survivors look to each other before three of them step forward and approach the table. "Well, it looks like Vidcund, Pascal, and Jenny are all purchasing their letters," the host announces, making the three exchanges, "Good to see at least someone has a heart."

Vidcund rolls his eyes. "Please, I just wanted to see what was in this thing," he states, tearing open the letter and scanning it over. "Huh, it's from Pascal," he states.

"Ooh! What's it say?" Lazlo asks as Vidcund returns to his seat next to him.

"'Dear Vidcund, some guy told me to write you this in the off-chance that you made it far on a hypothetical survivor show. Personally, I think this is ridiculous, because there is no way that you would still be there on day fifteen,'" Vidcund stops reading and glares at his oldest brother, still gripping the letter in his hand. "Seriously?" he remarks, slightly offended.

"Hey, I was just trying to be realistic!" Pascal defends. "I mean, you're pretty hot-headed, and you're not exactly a people person."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Psh, Vid's barely even a person," he mutters.

The Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together. "Alright, this brings us to the last item up for bid, which will remain covered," the host states, as he places the covered up object on the bamboo table.

"Psh, no thank you," Circe says, turning down the item, "I'd much rather keep the five hundred dollars."

"Come on people, doesn't anyone want to bid on this thing?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks as the survivors remain silent around him.

Vidcund shakes his head. "After winning my underwear and reading that letter, I think I'm set."

"I'll bid for it," Lazlo speaks up, holding his hand up. "Five dollars!"

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, "Okay. Anyone else?" he asks; the other survivors remain silent. "Well alright then, the item is sold to the least crazy Curious brother," he comments.

"Hey!" Pascal chimes in; stopping to think this one over. He sits back down, "Wait no, that's a true statement."

Lazlo walks over to the table and hands the Unsavory Charlatan five dollars. "Alright Lazlo, do you want to see what you won?" he asks, placing his hand on the cover.

He nods. "Sure."

"Brave man," the Unsavory Charlatan comments as he lifts up the cover, revealing the final item, "-Also a smart man, because you just won immunity!" he announces, revealing the immunity necklace to him.

"WHAT?!" Circe shouts, immediately standing up from her spot on the bleachers. Next to her, a bunch of the other survivors are voicing their complaints as well. "That's unfair! You gave us no warning!" she claims.

"How could you not see this coming?" the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, "We already had a reward challenge," he reminds them, before taking the immunity necklace and strapping it around Lazlo's neck. "And with that, Lazlo wins immunity and is guaranteed a spot in the final seven!" he announces, patting the youngest Curious brother on the back.

The Unsavory Charlatan sighs as he turns to the seven remaining contestants. "As for the rest of you, I will see you all tonight at tribal council, where one of you will become the seventh person voted out of this game," he says, "I will give you the day to decide. I suggest that you use it wisely," the host advises, "Now head back to camp, I will see you tomorrow."

The survivors nod and head back to their campsite.

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

Well this is just great, cause now I'm screwed! _(ponderously moves her hand up to her chin) -_ Hmm…or am I?

 _Day 15_

Circe is lying down fast asleep in the shelter as the sun slowly inches above the horizon. She yawns and stretches her arms out, accidentally knocking against someone in the process. Circe groans and slowly turns to her right, only to find Loki resting up against her body, his arms wrapped around his wife. "What the-?"

"Look Circe, before you say anything," Loki speaks up beside her, "I just wanted to apologize about what happened earlier and all the things that I said while we were fighting. I should've known from the start that you were only looking out for me," Loki says, completely unaware that Vidcund is approaching the shelter. "After all, you're the one for me."

Circe yawns once more, barely giving his words a second thought. "Yeah, well, at least you've finally come to your senses."

"Uh, Loki?" Vidcund chimes, crossing his arms in front of his torso, "Can I see you for a moment?" he asks.

"I don't think so, Curious," Loki replies coldly, turned away from his rival. "You had your chance."

Vidcund sighs and looks up at the sky, clearly having enough. "Just come on!" he states. Vidcund grabs Loki by the arm and leads him into the woods.

 _Five Minutes Later – Near the Waterfall_

"So it's settled," Crystal tells Jenny and Nervous Subject who are both standing in front of her, "Tonight we're voting off Pascal."

"What? No!" Circe responds, walking up behind the group, "Tonight we're going after Vidcund. He's the threat!"

"He is not!" Jenny fires back, "I'm telling you, Pascal is the brains of their alliance. We have to get rid of him while we still can!"

Crystal steps forward, positioning herself between the feuding pair. "Look, in my eyes, it doesn't matter who we pick as long as we get rid of one of them," she states, "We just have to come to a mutual agreement and all cast our votes for the same person."

"-Which will be Pascal," Jenny adds, rather forcefully.

"No, it'll be Vidcund, because that's the _smarter_ option," Circe says sassily, looking the mother straight in the eye. "We'd be stupid not to, right Nervous?"

Nervous steps back, quickly shaking his hands in front of his body. "I-I don't know, don't ask me," he stutters, "This was all you guys' idea!"

"Look," Crystal says, attempting to mediate the situation, "Let's just talk this out and come to a mutual agreement," she tells the group, "We're voting tonight, so who's it going to be…?"

 _Meanwhile – In the Woods_

Vidcund drags Loki into the woods and quickly lets go of his arm. Vidcund paces around a few times before turning to face his rival. "What is up with you?" Vidcund asks him, "I mean we mess around yesterday and today you're back to acting like a total jerk! What happened?"

"Oh don't give me that," Loki huffs, "You know very well what happened!"

"Well clearly I don't, or else I wouldn't be having this conversation with you right now," Vidcund states, his rationality clearly getting the best of him.

Loki crosses his arms. "Well, if you must know, I found out about your true intentions. I know now that you only did those things with me to try to progress your game!"

"What?!" Vidcund reacts, unable to believe what he is hearing, "No!" he corrects him, "I can't believe that you would even think that. I would never do something like that!"

"-You did it to Circe," Loki reminds him.

"That was only because you guys pressured me into it! And I did it to save your ass!" Vidcund defends, before stepping back a bit to catch his breath. He looks down at the ground and exhales, sadness filling his eyes as he looks back up at Loki. "I just can't believe that you honestly think that I would do that to you. Did you really think this whole thing was fake? That I didn't mean a single word?" he squeaks, feeling his voice get weaker and weaker.

Loki turns away, his eyes trailing down to the dirt as Vidcund gives yet another sigh. "Look, you already know the plan that the four of us set up tonight. You know Pascal, Lazlo, and I are voting for Circe. But if you really think that this whole thing was fake and that this was all just a giant set-up that I made for you to keep me, then do me a favor and vote me out. Please," he pleads with him, "Vote me out tonight and I'll know exactly how you feel about me."

The pair stands in silence. After a few minutes, Loki looks up as he hears Vidcund exit the woods, leaving the young scientist once again alone with his thoughts.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

I really don't know what's going to happen tonight. But as strange as it sounds, I'm looking forward to finding out. This is something that I need to know.

 _Tribal Council_

All eight survivors walk into the tribal council area and set down their torches and belongings before taking their seats in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host turns to them and smiles, "We will now bring in the member of our jury," he states, gesturing over to the single sim that is walking through the tribal entrance, "Pollination Tech #9, who was voted out at the last tribal council."

Pollination Tech #9 smiles as he walks over to the jury stand. He sits down in the first seat and waves to the others; most of them wave back.

The Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together. "So, let's talk about what happened today because we have a lot to cover," he begins turning towards one of the survivors, "Vidcund, you complained after you got paired up with Loki for the partner reward challenge and you guys ended up winning."

"Yes," Vidcund nods from his seat.

"How did the reward go?" the host wonders.

"I thought it went pretty well," Vidcund answers truthfully, "But now I'm not so sure anymore," he states, turning towards Loki who is situated next to him; he turns away.

The Unsavory Charlatan throws his head back, "Ah," he states, "And I can clearly see that Circe has a gigantic smile on her face right now," he says, causing everyone to immediately direct their attentions to their teammate, "Circe, there's no question that you're enjoying this little tiff, aren't you?"

"Oh yes," Circe smirks, "If you ask me, they brought this upon themselves," she comments, "Vidcund has always been a very selfish human being, and Loki is not far behind in that department. But he's my husband, and even though he can be somewhat of a jerk, I'll always look out for him," Circe remarks, gently placing his hand on top of his.

Almost instantly, Vidcund springs up from his seat. "Please! You've never looked out for him! That's always been me!" he retaliates, "I looked out for him even when I didn't like him! I was the only one on our entire campsite that was worried about him when he was distant and I stayed with him when he got sick, even though he was making less sense than Pascal!"

"Hey!" Pascal objects behind him.

Vidcund quickly turns to the side, before taking his seat back down on his wooden stool. "Oh you know I love you!"

"-I didn't know that," Lazlo whispers to Crystal.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns to the other contestants, a look of pure shock on his face. "Well, it's clear to me that you guys have a big decision to make," he says, staring straight at Loki, whose gaze as since drifted to the floor. "And with that, it is time to vote. Crystal, you're up first!"

One by one the remaining survivors walk up to the voting station and cast their votes. Circe approaches the voting station and writes Vidcund's name down on the piece of parchment. She gives her signature smirk as she holds it up to the camera. "Vidcund, I'm voting for you tonight because I am sick of seeing your ugly face both in my house and on my campsite," she states, "Stay the hell away from my husband!"

Circe returns from the voting station as Vidcund stands up, walking over to the box and writing down Circe's name. He holds the piece of parchment up to the camera. "Circe, what can I say? You are one bad egg. I really hope that this is the last time that I have to deal with your shit." Vidcund folds up the piece of parchment and places it into the voting box.

Finally, Loki stands up from his seat and approaches the voting station. He sighs as he picks up the pen and writes the person's name down. Loki holds his vote up to the camera. "It took me fifteen days to finally figure out how I feel about you. And now that I have, I realize, I just don't like you," Loki comments; his tone rather harsh. "Get the hell out of my life."

Loki returns from the voting station, causing the Unsavory Charlatan to turn to the remaining survivors. "I'll go get the votes," he announces, walking over to the voting station to retrieve the box. He sets it on his podium and rests his hand up against the lid.

"If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and they would like to play it, now would be the time to do so," he advises; nobody moves. "Alright then, once the votes are read, the decision is final, the person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes," the Unsavory Charlatan says, reaching into the voting box.

"First vote – Vidcund," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, turning the first piece of parchment over. He reaches into the box and grabs another piece, "Second vote – Circe," he says, "That's one vote Vidcund, one vote Circe."

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box a third time, retrieving another vote. "Third vote – Circe," the host announces, revealing the piece of parchment to the survivors. He reaches in the box once more, "Fourth vote – Vidcund," he states. "That's two votes Vidcund, two votes Circe," he recaps.

"Ooh, the suspense!" Pascal whispers to Lazlo.

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the box a fifth time, grabbing yet another piece of parchment. "Fifth vote – Pascal," he says, _"-Took you long enough,"_ he mutters under his breath before reaching into the box and grabbing another vote, "Sixth vote – Vidcund," he reveals. "That's three votes Vidcund, two votes Circe, and one vote Pascal."

The host sighs as he reaches into the voting box again, grabbing the seventh vote of the night. "Seventh vote – Circe," he says, unveiling the vote to the contestants. The Unsavory Charlatan stops and places his hand on the lid, "So, here's where we stand. Right now Vidcund and Circe are tied with three votes each. If the next vote is for anyone but the two of them, we will have a tie and will be forced to do a tiebreaker," he explains, "If not, then either Vidcund or Circe will become the seventh person voted out of this game and the second person on our jury."

"Uh…wouldn't they be the fifth person voted out of this game since Olive and Death left on their own?" Pascal speaks up from his seat, raising his hand in point.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns to Pascal and glares at him. "Oh how I wish it was you going home," he confesses, giving his head a gentle shake. "Anyway! I'll read the vote," he says, reaching into the voting box for the final time. In front of him, Circe is staring intently at the host and Vidcund's feet are shaking.

The Unsavory Charlatan opens it up, sighing as he glances at the piece of parchment. "Seventh person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the second member of our jury is…Circe," he says, turning over the final vote, which has a drawing of a smiley face sticking out its tongue on it next to her name; Vidcund's face lights up when he sees it. "Circe, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Vidcund squeaks and turns to Loki. "Oh my gosh, come here you!" he exclaims, wrapping Loki into a smothering hug; clearly overjoyed.

Loki shrugs his shoulders, a small blush appearing on his face. "Yeah, well…you know," he begins as Circe grabs her torch and places it in front of the Unsavory Charlatan.

The host looks at her and shakes his head. "Circe, unfortunately the tribe has spoken," he announces, snuffing out her torch, "It's time for you to go."

Circe nods and turns to Loki, her eyes filled with rage; she gives him the finger. "I hope you crash and burn, honey!" she snarls before turning to the left in somewhat of an afterthought, "Good luck, Crystal," she states over her shoulder before exiting the premises.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns back to the remaining castaways. "Well, it's clear to me after tonight that some of you are playing with more than just your brains. The question is, will that help you or hurt you in the long run?" he asks, pausing a bit to allow the remaining survivors to ponder this one over. "Grab your stuff and head back to camp. Goodnight."

The seven remaining survivors grab their belongings and exit the tribal council area, walking into the night.

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Closing Words_

I'm in shock. I mean, what the hell happened?! Did my husband really just freakin' leave me for my ex-boyfriend? What is this – some kind of soap opera? And way to suddenly grow a freakin' backbone, Vid! _(sighs and takes a deep breath)_ – Anyway, overall I think I did the best I could with the crap that I was given. I wish I could've won, but obviously that didn't happen. Now Crystal, you better freakin' win this thing, because you're the only one in that sea of nincompoops that actually has an ounce of strategy! - Circe out! _(snaps fingers)_

 _Next time on Survivor…_

… _It's the final seven, and things are finally going Vidcund's way…_

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

Woohoo! We're in the majority! Now all we have to do is pick off the other three, and it's all smooth sailing from here!

… _But has he spoke too soon?_

"We got a problem and it ain't pretty," Pascal tells Lazlo as they stand in the lush foliage of woods. He stops for a moment, thinking this one over. "Well actually, it is," he corrects himself.

… _And then Crystal and Nervous come to a realization…_

"Pascal is the mastermind!" Crystal shouts, pacing in front of her two remaining Death Conqueror tribemates. She throws her arms down, "I can't believe we didn't see this one coming!" she shouts.

Jenny scrunches her eyebrows and shakes her head at the camera; her face in a line.

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Field Researcher/Mother of Two_

My worst fears have come to life: I am surrounded by idiots.

… _All that and more, next time!_


	6. Episode 6: Little Guys

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Six –** _Little Guys_

All seven of the remaining survivors walk back onto the campsite and begin putting away their belongings. "Whoo man, Circe was pissed!" Pascal comments, setting his torch down next to Loki's.

Loki shakes his head. "That was nothing," he says, turning to the two eldest Curious brothers, "You should've been there when I came home with the wrong groceries." Vidcund laughs.

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

Tonight Circe got voted out, and for some reason, I can't stop smiling. I knew she was playing me, I'm not an idiot! Her argument didn't even make any sense! Of course, all that didn't stop me from playing along a bit. I just can't believe she bought that. _(looks directly into the camera)_ – Come on Circe, you could've done better than that!

...

"Man, I can't believe Circe is gone," Lazlo speaks, getting into the shelter with his brothers. Vidcund lies down next to him.

"Yeah, I thought for sure she'd find a way out of that one," Vidcund replies as Loki approaches the shelter, "Then I could've kissed myself goodbye." Vidcund looks up, sighing when he sees Loki. He starts to scooch over from his place, but Loki grabs his arm.

"No," Loki tells him, "Stay." A few feet away, Nervous rolls his eyes.

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

Look, I'm happy for them, I really am - because if Loki's happy, then my life gets a whole lot easier. And I like romance as much as the next guy, but there are some things that are just…too much. And I have a feeling that you're about to see exactly what I'm talking about.

…

Loki is lying down on top of Vidcund making out with him as the rest of the tribe attempts to fall asleep around them. The pair start moaning and groping each other, causing Crystal to cringe and turn away from them, attempting to shield her eyes with her hand.

" _Oh God,"_ she whispers, making eye contact with Nervous, _"Make them stop."_

Nervous frantically shakes his head, _"I don't want to die."_

Pascal sighs and sits up from his place. He walks around the outside of the shelter and nudges Loki with his leg. "You know I love romance, but can you go suck face somewhere else? Lazlo can't even sleep through this."

Loki looks up at the shelter ceiling and sighs. "Fine," he groans, reluctantly leaving the shelter with his lover. Pascal takes a deep breath and gazes down at the place where they were situated.

"Uh…I should probably clean that off," he states.

 _Day 16_

The sun rises above the horizon, gently lighting up the beach. Inside of the shelter, several of the survivors are groaning as they attempt to wake up from their not-so-pleasant slumber. "Oh man," Crystal moans, stretching out her arm, "That was one of the worst sleeps I've ever had. I swear I only slept for two hours."

"You slept?" Nervous speaks up next to her, "I tried, but I couldn't get that image out of my head."

Jenny nods. "This is bad," she chimes in nearby, "We can't go on like this."

"I know," Nervous mutters, "But what can we do? There are still more of them than us," he reminds his teammates.

"True," Crystal says, "But after last night, I'm sure we could convince either Pascal or Lazlo to dump Loki," she states, "I mean, they want to sleep, and Loki has been the source of almost every problem here."

Nervous sighs, "It's no use, Crystal. Their alliance seems solid."

Crystal shakes her head and stares off into the distance, where Pascal and Lazlo are gathering food near the shore. "I don't know about that," she smirks.

 _Meanwhile – On the Beach_

Loki is sitting beside Vidcund on the beach, going through the contents of his wallet. He holds up a small photograph of two young sims that strangely resemble him. "And these are my genetically modified super twins," Loki informs Vidcund, "This is Atom and this one is Ceres," he states.

"Ceres?" Vidcund repeats, barely looking at the photo, "That sounds kind of similar to Circe."

"Well you know, it did take years to develop these," Loki responds, "Pretty impressive, huh?"

Vidcund glances down at the photo once more and gives a shrug. "Well, they look nothing like you, so that's good."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Please! You would kill for my face! After all, I'm a hotter, more successful version of you…or you're a dumber, less successful version of me…" Loki trails off, taking a moment to think this through. After a moment, he shrugs. "Eh, they both work."

"Really? I would kill for your face?" Vidcund speaks up, "Cause someone told me otherwise."

Loki crosses his arms, "Whoever told you that sounds like a total dumbass!"

Vidcund turns toward the ocean, a smirk forming on his face. "Oh he is. He is," he states.

Loki shakes his head and nudges Vidcund in the side. "So, what do you think of the twins? You jealous?" he asks.

"Nah," Vidcund says, giving a playful smirk, "I really don't care."

"You will care once I win the Nobel Prize in Physics for my prestigious efforts in the scientific community!" Loki smugly retorts.

"Uh-huh," Vidcund nods, clearly disinterested, "And why would I? We're not even in the same field."

Loki looks up at the sky. "Oh that's right, you're in the lame field," he recalls, yanking off a mint branch and taking a bite, "Cause studying biology is sure going to get you far. Psh, you don't even know anything!"

"Well, I know that you just ate a poisonous plant," Vidcund counters. Loki stops chewing, his eyes wide as he quickly gets up, spitting the substance out into the ocean. Vidcund smiles as he watches Loki frantically washing his mouth out in the water. Vidcund shakes his head and turns towards the camera.

 _"It's not actually a poisonous plant,"_ he informs the cameramen, _"I just wanted to see the look on his face when I told him that."_

A few moments later, Loki returns to the shoreline and passes by Vidcund, his face worn and tired. "I'm going to go sleep this off," he tells him, walking towards the shelter.

Vidcund nods. His eyes trail to the sand only to find Loki's wallet spread open across it. "Wait, Loki-!" Vidcund calls out, but his rival doesn't hear him. Vidcund sighs and turns back towards the wallet, a glossy image catching his eye. Vidcund reaches down and pulls on the familiar corner of the picture; he moves it out slightly, only to reveal a photo of himself.

Vidcund scans the area, before he pulls the photo out completely. The photo shows an image of him smiling and wearing his signature scientist attire. Vidcund flips the photo over, slightly relieved to find that it is blank on the other side. He quickly slips it back inside the wallet and pushes it into his pants pocket.

 _Later that Afternoon_

Pascal and Lazlo are sitting in front of the campfire, trying their best to grill up some coconuts. Lazlo smiles when he notices his other brother slowly approaching them. "Hey Vid," Lazlo greets as Vidcund wanders over to them; a bizarre look on his face. "Uh…what's up?" he asks.

"I think Loki may be in love with me," Vidcund speaks suddenly, "He left his wallet on the beach earlier and I found a photo of myself in it."

"Were you wearing clothes in the photo?" Pascal asks, adjusting the coconuts in the pan with a stick.

Vidcund nods. "Yes."

"Well, then this just got a hundred times less creepy," he states.

"Are you sure?" Vidcund wonders, "Cause this is still kinda creepy."

"Hmm," Pascal begins to ponder, "Maybe it's for an experiment."

"Yeah," Lazlo agrees, "Or maybe it's a rivalry thing."

Vidcund scrunches his forehead. "Who keeps a photo of someone they hate in their wallet? I mean, what purpose would that serve?"

"To burn for some kind of voodoo ritual?" Pascal suggests.

Vidcund shakes his head. "He's not into that kind of stuff," Vidcund replies, "At least, that's what I thought. But the way things have been going lately, who knows what he's into?"

Pascal sighs and takes the coconuts off the campfire. He wipes his hands off on his trunks and turns to Vidcund, "Well, whatever it is, I have a feeling we're going to find out soon enough."

 _Reward Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, gesturing all seven remaining survivors to the center of the beach. The castaways step onto the bright yellow tribal mat and look up at the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together. "Today we're going to do something that's good for the community-"

"-We're giving Loki therapy?" Pascal chimes in, his face lighting up at this news.

"Er, no," the Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head, "Believe me, no one wants to even try to tackle that," he states, waving it off.

"I don't know about that," Vidcund speaks up, a small blush forming on his face.

"Anyway," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "Today is day sixteen, which means that you guys have successfully reached the halfway point of this journey," he tells them, "So far on this journey, Lazlo was cursed, Loki got violently ill, Olive died, Vidcund slept with two people, the Grim Reaper killed everything in the ocean, and I revealed embarrassing secrets about most of you and even made some of you buy back your own belongings," he reminds them.

Pascal lovingly sighs in front of him. "Oh the memories!"

The Unsavory Charlatan glares at him. "As I was saying," he says, "After all the crazy events that I've put you through, I bet you think that I don't have any more tricks up my sleeve," he states, pacing towards the survivors.

"You got that right!" Pascal adds.

"But of course, anyone who would think such a thing, would be dead wrong!" the host announces, stopping in front of Pascal and pointing his finger in his face. The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and turns towards the west side of the beach. "Come on in, guys!"

The seven castaways quickly turn their heads to the left and watch as six young sims walk onto the beach and stand behind the host. One of the teenagers is carrying a car seat, which has a small alien baby sitting in it.

"Hey! That's my son!" Pascal steps forward, a look of horror on his face.

"And those are my children!" Jenny speaks up next to him.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods. "Precisely," he tells the distressed parents. "You see, today instead of playing for some meaningless reward where we get Vidcund laid, we're going to help out some children."

"Um, can you please stop saying that?" Vidcund states, holding his hand up, "And why do we need to help these kids out exactly?" he asks.

"Because, children are the future."

"-Not if I have anything to say about it," Loki grumbles, crossing his arms.

The Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together and smiles at the guests. "Anyway," he continues, walking over to the kids, "Hello teens, children, and uh…strange alien baby," he greets, "Today you will each get the opportunity to assist one of the survivors in this reward challenge." The Unsavory Charlatan turns back to the survivors, "Now, here's how this is going to work: Each of the children will select a partner beforehand, which means one of you will have to be partners with the baby."

"He has a name, you know!" Pascal shouts, glaring.

Next to him, Loki still has his arms crossed. "And how exactly would the baby be helpful in this challenge?"

"See that's the thing, he won't be able to do squat!" the Unsavory Charlatan replies, "He's useless! Which means that whoever gets stuck with the baby will definitely lose this challenge," he says, "So here's how the challenge works: All seven of you survivors will be harnessed by our crew members. When I say go, you will all try to climb up that mountain and hit the red buzzer that is located on the top of it. Whoever hits the buzzer first, wins reward," he explains.

"Now here's where the kids come in," the host continues, "The kids can throw water balloons at your opponents to distract them, get them to fall off, or to just make the goal a whole lot harder to achieve," he tells them. "That's why having the baby as a partner won't be any help at all," he states. "Now, do you want to know what you're playing for?"

"Yeah, I guess," Crystal shrugs.

"Whichever survivor wins this challenge gets a ten thousand simoleon savings bond for their partner," the Unsavory Charlatan tells them, "And that money could really make a difference in that child's life," he says, clasping his hands together once more. "So, are you guys excited for this?" he asks.

Behind him, Ripp Grunt rolls his eyes and crosses his arms in a pout. "This is stupid," he states.

"I agree," Loki seconds, glaring as well, "Can I be partners with that kid?"

"-If he picks you," the Unsavory Charlatan responds, "Now, I know there are going to be a lot of complaints, so just to make this fair, we'll let the baby pick first," he says. The host walks over to the children and takes the baby out of his car seat. He holds up Tycho and holds him in his arms, slowly walking past each of the survivors.

Tycho drools as the host walks him past the contestants, stopping every few seconds to see the baby's reaction to each one. Tycho's face lights up when the Unsavory Charlatan stops in front of Pascal. The baby squeals and holds his arms out towards his father.

"-And what a surprise, the baby wants Pascal," the host notes, holding Tycho out to the last survivor in line. All of a sudden, Tycho turns his head to the side and throws up all over the host. "Eww!" the Unsavory Charlatan shrieks, quickly handing the baby to his father.

Pascal smiles and bounces Tycho on his hip. "Good baby," he cooes.

The Unsavory Charlatan grunts as he attempts to wipe the rest of the vomit off of his tuxedo; five crew members are assisting him. "Geesh, you two deserve each other," he states, looking at the father-son pair.

The host shooes the crew members away and turns back towards the others. "Alright, now that that's over, we can get back to the challenge," he announces, "We'll do youngest to oldest, so we'll let Jill pick next. Go ahead, sweetheart."

Jill smiles and nods. "I pick Mommy!" she beams.

"No far, I want Mom!" Johnny butts in behind his sister.

"Sorry son, but when you're a teen or older you have to constantly deal with disappointment," the Unsavory Charlatan informs him. "Alright, Buck is next," he states, gesturing towards General Buzz Grunt's youngest son.

"Oh, okay. I want Nervous," Buck says.

Nervous's face lights up. "Really?" he chimes; Buck nods. "Wow! Kids like me!"

The host smiles and shakes his head. "Okay. I can't remember how old each of you kids are, so I'm just going to let Johnny go next."

Johnny brings his hand up to his mouth as he stares at the four remaining survivors, thinking over his options. "Hmm…I'll take Uncle Vid."

"Yes! Thank you," Vidcund says, walking over to him.

"Good. Ophelia?" the host asks.

Ophelia smiles. "I want Crystal," she states, "She seems normal."

"I wouldn't call anyone who is willing to date _that guy,_ normal," the Unsavory Charlatan says, pointing to Lazlo.

"Hey!" Lazlo speaks up, insulted. "He is pointing at me, right?" he asks Pascal.

"-But alright," the host nods and turns to the two remaining Grunt brothers. "So, can you two come to a peaceful decision or are we going to have to flip a coin on this?" he asks them.

"No, it's fine," Tank speaks up, "I want Lazlo and Ripp wants Loki, so this should be pretty painless."

"Great!" the Unsavory Charlatan replies, although it appears that he is somewhat disappointed by this news, "Everyone take your places, the challenge is about to begin!"

Fifteen minutes later, all seven of the survivors are strapped into harnesses and staring up at the mountain aligned in front of them. The Unsavory Charlatan steps forward, the six able teens and children holding water balloons in their hands behind them. Tycho is sitting off to the side in his car seat, chewing on his foot.

The Unsavory Charlatan holds his hand up. "Alright, for a reward for the children...survivors ready? Go!" he shouts, throwing his hand down.

The survivors race over to the mountain and start climbing. Crystal turns to Nervous, who is struggling to get up the first ledge. "Maybe if we go really fast, we can get there before they start throwing," she states; a water balloon hits her back.

"-Too late," Nervous chimes as he gets hit with one as well.

"-And just like that, Jenny is already halfway up the mountain!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts from the sidelines.

"Don't announce it! Now all the kids are going to go after me!" Jenny shouts at the host. Sure enough, she starts getting pelted by water balloons. She looks to her son, who has a few in his hands. "If you throw that at me, you're grounded." Johnny slumps his shoulders and nods.

"-Ooh, Jenny's using some tough parenting," the Unsavory Charlatan narrates, "And to think I almost doubted you. No wait…I totally did," he smirks.

Vidcund groans as he pulls himself up another ledge. A water balloon hits him in the face, knocking his glasses off. Vidcund sighs as he watches them fall to the floor. "Aww man!" he moans.

Loki climbs up next to him. "Believe me, you're better off – oww!" Loki cries, getting hit in the back with a water balloon. He growls and turns around; narrowing his eyes at the children. "Alright, who threw that?! Don't make me come down there!"

"Oww!" Lazlo cries next to Loki; pulling himself up next to his brother. Lazlo turns to Vidcund. "These are filled with water, right?" he asks, "Cause I think that one was yellow." Vidcund widens his eyes.

"And as a surprise to no one, Pascal is in dead last!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces to everyone, "Two minutes into this challenge and he's already lagging behind!"

Pascal groans as he attempts to climb up the first ledge of the mountain. He looks up, finding all six of his tribemates way ahead of him. A few balloons hit him in the back, causing him to lose his balance. He quickly catches himself and continues on.

"Will someone just hurry up and hit that damn buzzer?" Loki shouts from mid-way up the mountain, holding onto the ledges for dear life as he gets pelted by water balloons. "I can't even move!"

"Why am I having horrible flashbacks of playing dodgeball in gym class?" Vidcund asks, cowering next to him.

A few feet away, Nervous is trailing behind Crystal. He reaches out to her as she moves further and further away from him, "I can't go on!" Nervous cries, grabbing onto her leg.

"Nervous don't-!" Crystal shouts as children continue throwing water balloons at her. "Geez! Why do they all have such good aim?" she wonders as she starts to slip. "Whoa!" Crystal loses her balance and falls off the mountain, knocking Nervous down with her.

"Sorry," he squeaks once they are caught by the harnesses.

Crystals nods. "It's okay."

"Come on guys, you know you want this!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, holding out the ten thousand simoleon savings bond and daggling it in front of his body.

Loki shrugs, "Eh, I can think of at least twenty-five things I want more."

Fifteen minutes later, the survivors are still struggling to reach the top of the mountain. "Alright, so here's where we stand," the Unsavory Charlatan states, placing his hands on his hips, "We have Jenny in the lead with Lazlo only a few feet behind her. Loki is at the halfway point of the mountain and seems to have given up-"

"These children hate me!" Loki shouts as he continues to get hit with water balloons.

"-Vidcund, Crystal, and Nervous are not far behind Loki and are still in this," he chimes, "And then there's Pascal, who can't even seem to get up an inch," he states, watching as Pascal struggles to move up the side. "Which one of the six of you will win reward?" the hosts asks, rubbing his palms together, "I am itching with anticipation!"

"Don't worry, Tank!" Lazlo shouts from the mountain, "I'm going to get this!"

"Over my dead body!" Jenny glares at her brother.

Pascal slips over the first ledge at the base of the mountain and falls face-first into the sand. Pascal groans and lies down, clearly fatigued and out of breath.

"Oh give it up, Curious!" the host paces from the sidelines, "It would take a miracle for you to catch up!"

Hearing this, Crystal looks down at the struggling father. "Don't listen to him, Pascal! You can do this! He doesn't know what he's talking about!" Pascal turns on his side.

The Unsavory Charlatan rolls his eyes, "Just cut your losses and give it a rest, Pascal! You're about as useless as your son is in this challenge!"

All of a sudden, Pascal sits up, pulling his head up from the sand. He gazes across the beach at Tycho, who is smiling in his car seat. Pascal stands up and shifts his attention to the host, narrowing his eyes at him. _"Nobody calls my son useless!"_ he mutters. Pascal races over to the side of the mountain and throws himself onto its side. Pascal starts climbing up the mountain.

"And here comes Pascal!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as Pascal grunts past the halfway point, a determined glare on his face. He passes up Crystal, Nervous, and Vidcund.

"Holy shit!" Vidcund curses, watching Pascal speed past him, "I have never seen that look in his eyes before," he tells Lazlo.

"Hurry up you guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts to the other survivors, "You can still catch him! Use your upper arm strength!"

Vidcund rolls his eyes. "If I had upper arm strength, do you think I would be a scientist?"

Pascal approaches Jenny, the children pelting him with more water balloons with each foot he climbs. Pascal groans as he reaches the top, drenched from head to toe. He pulls himself up and runs over to the pedestal; he slams his hand down on the buzzer.

"Whoo! Yeah! In your face!" Pascal yells, pointing down at the Unsavory Charlatan, "No one calls my son useless! Whoo!" he throws his hands up and starts jumping up and down. Below him, the Unsavory Charlatan looks positively dumbfounded.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone has safely made it down the mountain and is gathered near the host with the children. Pascal walks over to the Unsavory Charlatan once he makes it back to the beach. "Give me that!" Pascal commands, snatching the savings bond from the host and making his way over to his son. He takes Tycho out of the car seat and hugs him, still trying to catch his breath.

Nearby, Vidcund and Loki are watching Pascal from the sidelines. "I'm still trying to figure out how that happened," Vidcund states, still in shock.

"Eh, it was probably drugs," Loki replies, his arms crossed.

Lazlo scrunches his eyebrows as he walks up next to them, "If that was the case, then wouldn't you have won?" Loki sighs and rolls his eyes.

"And with that, Pascal wins reward," the Unsavory Charlatan states, sounding the most unenthusiastic that he has all season, "Now let's never mention this again," he says, "As for the rest of you, I got nothing for you. Everyone head back to camp and I will see you tomorrow at your next immunity challenge!"

The other survivors nod and start heading back towards their beach. Jenny and Pascal give their loved ones one final hug before racing to catch up to their tribe.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

If this reward challenge has taught me anything, it's that Pascal is a beast. If he can come back from a challenge like that, he can win this thing. Jenny was right, he's powerful, and we need to get him out NOW.

 _Later that Night_

All seven survivors return to Vidcund Sucks' beach and start settling back into their routines. "Congratulations, Pascal," Nervous says, giving his friend a smile once they stop near the shelter.

Pascal smiles back. "Thanks."

"Yeah," Loki butts in, approaching from the left, "What the hell was that?" he asks, "It was some kind of weird beast mode. To tell you the truth, it almost had me a little turned on."

"Okay, _no_ ," Vidcund speaks up, pushing Loki towards the woods.

"What? I said 'almost'!" he defends as he gets pushed away from the pair. Lazlo walks over to Pascal, shaking his head. Behind Lazlo, Crystal is gesturing for Nervous to follow her. He nods and discreetly makes his way into the woods.

"What's up?" Nervous asks, once he finds himself alone near the waterfall beside Crystal and Jenny.

"Pascal is the mastermind!" Crystal shouts, pacing in front of her two remaining Death Conqueror tribemates. She throws her arms down, "I can't believe we didn't see this one coming!" she shouts, "We need to get rid of him!"

Jenny scrunches her eyebrows and shakes her head at the camera; her face in a line.

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Field Researcher/Mother of Two_

My worst fears have come to life: I am surrounded by idiots.

…

"That's a nice thought, Crystal," Jenny states, surprisingly calm as she watches her teammate pace in front of her, "But we don't have the votes to pull it off."

"Maybe not now," Crystal responds, turning towards the mother, "But if we all survive at least once more tribal council, we can make this happen. All we need to do is get one of them to switch, which shouldn't be that hard," she assures them. "Trust me, they're not as close as they seem, someone has to be unhappy in that alliance. We just need to find the person that is on the bottom and pitch to them."

Jenny steps forward, rubbing her arm a bit. "Gee…I don't know, Crystal. Do you really think that'll work?"

Crystal nods. "Yes. Lazlo is obviously on the bottom and I think I can convince him to help us take out Loki," she says, "I'll talk to him tonight after everyone else goes to sleep. I just need to prepare what I'm going to say," Cyrstal tells them, "I should be ready in a few hours."

"Okay," Jenny replies, "Good luck, kid."

 _Three Hours Later_

Crystal is walking through the moonlit woods, leading Lazlo by the hand to the waterfall. "Uh, Crystal?" Lazlo speaks up as they walk further into the darkness, "Where are we going?"

"Just a little bit further. I need to talk to you about something," she answers. They approach the rocky side of the waterfall and sit down. Crystal looks at him and sighs. "Lazlo, I need you to be open-minded right now so that you can consider something a little bit different," she begins, still hanging onto his hands.

"Um, okay," he says, staring directly into her light blue eyes, "What about?"

"Okay," she states, letting out a gentle exhale, "What if instead of voting with your brothers tomorrow, you voted for Loki with us?" she asks.

Lazlo immediately stands up, waving his hands in front of his torso, "No, no, no! I am not going against my brothers!" he cries, "Do you know how hard it was for me to regain Pascal's trust after the first time I betrayed them?"

"But this is different!" Crystal defends, standing up in front of him. "This is a game-winning move, Lazlo! You do this and you're basically writing yourself that check!"

"This is a terrible idea, Crystal," Lazlo tells her, "This would destroy any chance that I'd have at getting their votes!" he argues, "I don't even know why you care about shaking things up! Just drop Jenny and Nervous and I'll take you in with us!"

"No," Crystal states firmly, "That is never going to happen! I am not going to be carried to the final five! The worst way to get anywhere in this game is to be dragged along!" she fires back, "The jury members don't respect people who just sat there and did nothing!"

"Are you saying I'm being dragged along?" Lazlo speaks up, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I didn't have to," Crystal responds, "But it's clear to me that at least a part of you thinks so," she states, looking him in the eyes. "Come on, Lazlo. You're hiding in the shadows of Loki and your brothers. Is this really the game that you want to play?" she asks him; Lazlo's glare drifts down to the dirt as he thinks this over. She sighs and places a loving hand on his shoulder. "Look Lazlo, all I'm saying is, don't settle for fourth because you're too scared to go for the gold."

Crystal stands in silence for a moment, watching as her boyfriend continues to stare at the dirt. After a few minutes, he brings his head up and turns to Crystal; his hands shaking.

"-I can't do it," he tells her, "It's too risky."

Crystal nods, these words hitting her right in the chest; she feels as though the wind is knocked out of her. She sighs and pats him gently on the back. "-It's okay," she lies. She wraps her arms around him in the wilderness; neither of them saying a word.

 _Day 17_

The next morning, Crystal rejoins her fellow teammates on the right side of the shelter; Nervous's face lights up when he sees her. All four of the scientists are nowhere to be seen. "Well…?" Jenny begins, after Crystal sits down next to them.

"-He's too scared," Crystal states, gazing out at the ocean.

Nervous slumps his shoulders. "-Oh," he sighs.

Jenny nods a few times, gazing out at the ocean with Crystal for a bit, before nudging her fellow teammate in the ribs. Crystal turns and looks at her; a smirk forming on Jenny's face. "Well, if he's too scared to make a move, then find someone who isn't."

Crystal scrunches her forehead, unable to believe how calm Jenny is being. "Do you have anyone in mind?" she asks.

Jenny smiles. "Why talk to the apprentice when you can talk to the master? Pitch your idea to Pascal, I guarantee you that if it's even half as convincing as when you pitched it to me, he'll consider it."

An hour later, Crystal is seen standing behind a tree in the woods, watching as Pascal walks past her towards the water well. Crystal turns and whispers to the camera, _"This is for you, Circe,"_ she states before she races over to catch up to him. "Pascal, wait!" Crystal calls out, waving her hand in the air.

Hearing someone, Pascal quickly turns around, stopping in his tracks as the young townie approaches him. "Oh, hey Crystal," he greets.

"Here, let me help you," Crystal suggests, grabbing one of the water jugs from him. "Look, I'm glad I caught you. I need to talk to you about something-"

"-Let me guess, you wanna run something by me?" Pascal interrupts, screwing the lid off of the water jug.

Crystal steps back, looking a bit to the left. "You're not interested?" she asks.

"No. You know I can't turn down the opportunity to talk strategy," he tells her, "So let's hear it, what do you got?" he asks, putting the water jug down to give her his full attention.

"Okay," Crystal smirks and crosses her arms. "You have control right now, Pascal," she begins, "But control is only a good thing in this game if you can keep it."

Pascal cocks his eyebrow, intrigued. "I'm listening…"

"There's something here that is threatening your control of this game," Crystal continues, "Two of your alliance members – Vidcund and Loki – are too close. Now let's say you take out the rest of us and you're only left with your core alliance."

Pascal nods, "Okay."

"Well, what makes you think that they wouldn't just immediately turn around and vote you off?" she wonders, "Vidcund and Loki are a solid pair, and Lazlo is best friends with your brother. You vote us off, you're fourth at best. Third if you somehow win immunity," she states.

Pascal crosses his arms. "Go on."

"Now, let's say instead of doing that, you take Loki out tomorrow with us," Crystal tells him, "Final six, you're guaranteed to be in the majority. For sure you have myself, Nervous, and Jenny – even if Vidcund tries to vote you out in vengeance, he couldn't," she promises, "Your biggest threat is gone, you got him before he got you, and you get credited for making a game-changing move. Not to mention the fact that you regain Circe's jury vote. And you know, she is the Queen of Persuasion."

Pascal nods, carefully thinking this over. "Uh-huh," he speaks up, "But how do I know that you guys won't immediately turn around and vote me off, making me sixth?" he asks.

"Because…why would we bite the hand that gave us a chance?" Crystal says, pausing to allow Pascal to ponder this over. Pascal sighs and stares down at the ground. "-Pascal," Crystal speaks into the silence, "You are a man of great integrity. You know what it's like to be on the bottom of the totem pole," Crystal reminds him, "Why not shake things up and give us little guys a chance?" she wonders.

Pascal lifts his head up, bringing his hand up to his face, still thinking this through. "You're a smart woman, Crystal," he tells the young townie, "I'll think about it."

Crystal nods, unable to mask the smile that is forming on her face. "That's all I ask," she says.

 _Immunity Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as all seven of the survivors walk onto the beach and take their places on the yellow tribal mat.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together. "Hello and welcome to today's immunity challenge!" he greets, "First thing's first, Lazlo, I gotta take it back," he says, walking over to Lazlo and grabbing the immunity necklace from him. The Unsavory Charlatan walks back over to where he was originally standing and places the necklace on the pedestal. "And just like that, immunity is back up for grabs!" he states.

"Well, as you all know we're at the halfway point of this crazy season," the host reminds the survivors, "But we couldn't have gotten this far into this game unless we hadn't have voted people off," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, bringing his hands together. "I mean, who could forget when General Buzz threw Vidcund Sucks' map down a hole? Or when Erin got into that gigantic fight with Crystal? Or how hot Circe was?"

" _What_?!" Loki calls out.

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head, going back to the matter at hand. "Anyway," he says, "Today we're going to test just how well you know the seven people that left this game before you," the host tells the contestants. "For this immunity challenge, I will ask questions about the former castaways. Whoever answers the most questions correctly after seven rounds wins immunity and is guaranteed a spot in the final six. Losers go to tribal council, where after eighteen days out here, one of you will become the eighth person voted out of this game," the Unsavory Charlatan informs them.

"Now, here's how this works. Each of you will be given a whiteboard and a marker," he explains, "I'll ask a question about one of your fellow castaways and you'll write the answer on your whiteboard. I'll then ask you to reveal and I'll count up the points as we go," he states, "Keep in mind that there is at least one question for every castaway, so there isn't going to be a lot of repetition. This challenge will prove how much you have learned about your neighbors, and I'm sure most of you have probably learned nothing."

"Hey!" Pascal chimes in, insulted.

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his finger at him. "Now, now," he scolds, "For once I didn't single you out, Pascal. Even though we all know that you're probably going to lose," the host adds. He claps his hands together. "Alright, everyone take your places! The challenge is about to begin!"

Five minutes later all seven contestants are lined up in front of the Unsavory Charlatan, each holding a whiteboard in front of their chests.

"Okay. For immunity…here's your first question," the Unsavory Charlatan says, glancing down at the hot pink notecard in his hand. "Which former castaway was in a barbershop quartet?" He says, pausing to allow each of the survivors to scribble down their answers. "Alright, reveal," the host states; the survivors turn their whiteboards over.

"Crystal, Loki, Pascal, and Vidcund all said General Buzz," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, "Nervous and Lazlo said Pollination Tech #9, and Jenny said the Grim Reaper," he tells the crowd, "The correct answer is General Buzz. Crystal, Loki, Pascal, and Vidcund all score one point!"

"Whoo yeah!" Pascal celebrates, quickly erasing his whiteboard, "That's what you get when you get beaten up by him or uh, when you're Crystal," he adds.

The Unsavory Charlatan sighs and looks down at his next card. "Which former castaway's favorite pastime is 'counting grains of sand'?" the host asks; the survivors scribble down their answers. "Okay, does anyone know whose pastime this is?" he asks, gesturing for the survivors to reveal their answers.

Loki smirks. "It's Ajay Loser," he chimes.

"Well, I was going for 'Loner', but we'll still count that answer as accurate," the Unsavory Charlatan states, " _-Actually, I think that one's more accurate_ ," he mutters. "Anyway!" he speaks up, "We'll also count anyone who wrote 'the new guy.'" The Unsavory Charlatan scans over the contestants' answers, "Well that question stumped the Curious brothers, but the rest of you got it right."

"We are now onto question three," the Unsavory Charlatan says, flipping over his next notecard. "Right now both Loki and Crystal are in the lead with two points, everyone else has one, minus Lazlo who has zero."

"Aww," Lazlo moans, shaking his head in despair, "I suck!" Pascal pats him on the back in condolence.

"Question three: True or False, Pollination Tech #9 Smith is the only castaway – minus Jenny, of course - that has a daughter," the Unsavory Charlatan asks the survivors. Everyone writes down their answers. "Okay, reveal," the host tells the survivors. He clasps his hands together as he reads over their answers. "Everyone said true except Nervous and Lazlo who both said false," he narrates, "The correct answer is true. Crystal and Loki are still in the lead with three points, Vidcund, Pascal, and Jenny have two points, Nervous has one, and Lazlo has yet to score."

"-You got that right," Loki chimes in.

"-Which brings us to question four," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, looking down at his notecard. "Name one former castaway that is a Scorpio," the host tells them, watching the survivors scribble down on their whiteboards once more. "Okay, let's see what you guys said."

The survivors flip their boards over as the Unsavory Charlatan paces over to them. "Okay. Vidcund, Pascal, and Loki said Circe is a Scorpio. Nervous, Jenny, and Crystal said Olive is a Scorpio. And Lazlo wrote down his brother and drew an arrow pointing to Vidcund," the Unsavory Charlatan sighs, his face falling. "Your brother is _not_ a former castaway!" he moans, slapping his hand over his face.

"I know," Lazlo replies, rather quietly, "I just wanted to get one right."

"Moving on!" the Unsavory Charlatan says, walking back over to the pedestal and placing his hand on top of the immunity necklace. "Brace yourselves, this one is pretty tricky," he warns them, "Question number five: Which former castaway has a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Human Development from the University of Hawaii?" he asks.

The survivors ponder this one over for a moment before scribbling down their answers. The Unsavory Charlatan walks over to them, stopping short of the tribal mat. "Alright, does anyone think they have this one?" Loki raises his hand. "Loki? _Again_?" the host speaks up; the villain nods.

"Yep, it's the Grim Reaper," Loki answers, holding his whiteboard up against his chest.

"That is correct," the Unsavory Charlatan says, scanning over the remaining survivors' whiteboards. "Crystal and Nervous also got the answer correct, everyone else did not," he adds, "Loki and Crystal are still tied for the lead with five points each, as we approach the sixth question," the Unsavory Charlatan takes a deep breath and exhales. "Who was the youngest contestant on this season?" he asks; everyone writes down their answers.

After thirty seconds, the Unsavory Charlatan gestures the survivors to reveal. "So who was the youngin'?" he ponders, walking past each of the survivors. "Lazlo said it was him, Pascal and Nervous said it was Crystal, but actually it was Erin, which means Jenny, Loki, Crystal, and Vidcund are correct!" he announces as a few of the survivors celebrate their victory.

"We're approaching the final question and here's where we stand," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the survivors, "Right now, Loki and Crystal are in the lead with six points, followed by Jenny and Vidcund who have four, then Pascal and Nervous who have three," he informs the contestants, "And then of course there's Lazlo who still hasn't gotten any. This next question is worth two points, so Jenny and Vidcund are still in it to tie if both Loki and Crystal get this question wrong," the Unsavory Charlatan informs them. "Pascal, Nervous, and Lazlo are officially out of the running for immunity."

The three of them nod and take their places on the sit out bench. The Unsavory Charlatan turns back to the four remaining survivors. "So, here's the last question," he begins, "Who was the only castaway who was raised by a single parent?" the survivors scribble down their answers. The host smiles at them. "Okay, everyone reveal," he states. All four survivors turn over their whiteboards. "And surprisingly all four of you got it correct; it was Circe." The Unsavory Charlatan hangs his head before looking up at Vidcund and Jenny.

"Unfortunately, since both Loki and Crystal answered that last question correctly, the two of you are out of the challenge," he informs them. "Now, since we have a tie here, I will ask this tiebreaker question," the Unsavory Charlatan states, pulling out a small white envelope and breaking through its seal. "Here we go: How many different aspirations do the former castaways have in total?" he asks.

Loki and Crystal think for a moment before scribbling down their answers. "Alright," the Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together, "Let's see what you said!" the Unsavory Charlatan looks over their whiteboards. "Okay. Loki said five, Crystal said four," he announces to the crowd, "The correct answer is…five," he reveals to them, "General Buzz and Erin are Popularity, Ajay and Circe are Fortune, Olive is Knowledge, Pollination Tech #9 is Family, and the Grim Reaper is _Power_."

"Dammit!" Crystal curses, throwing her hands down.

"-Which means Loki wins immunity!" the Unsavory Charlatan exclaims, putting the immunity necklace around Loki's neck. "Loki, this means you are safe from tonight's vote and are guaranteed a spot in the final six. But before you guys leave, I must ask: How do you know so much about your neighbors?" he wonders.

Loki shrugs. "Eh, I gotta memorize things for blackmail."

"Well okay then," the host mutters, taking a large step away from him, "As for the rest of you, I will see you tonight at tribal council, where one of you will be the eighth person voted out of this game," he says, "I will see you tomorrow, but for now, pack up your things and head back to camp."

The survivors nod and make their way across the beach. Crystal is distraughtly lagging behind the rest of the group. She sighs and looks to the camera, both Nervous and Jenny stop and wrap their arms around her.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Well, Loki won immunity, which means my one chance at saving my alliance is ruined. I must be cursed or something. God! Did Erin put something in my water when I wasn't looking? _(groans)_ – This just really sucks, cause I have no idea what we're going to do now. _(sighs)_ When are things going to finally start going my way?

 _Later that Night_

All seven of the remaining survivors walk back onto their campsite, a few of them stopping to congratulate Loki on a job well done. Crystal sighs as she plops down into the shelter; Nervous sits down on her right. "I could've won that. I really could've," Crystal tells her teammates.

"Yeah, well, you didn't. Sucks to be you!" Loki interjects, walking by her. "Better luck next Survivor!" Crystal moves her hand up over her mouth; a mixture of sadness and frustration washing over her face. Next to her, Jenny and Nervous are sporting defeated expressions. Crystal glances up at Lazlo; her eyes starting to water. Lazlo's eyes trail to the floor.

"Congratulations Loki," Vidcund states once his rival approaches him, "That was impressive."

"I know, right?" Loki tells him, "Come on, let's celebrate!"

Vidcund smiles as his brothers step up next to him. "Okay!"

"Vidcund, wait!" Pascal begins. Pascal watches as Loki and Vidcund race off into the woods together; not giving him or his brother a second thought. Pascal sighs and paces around the campfire a bit; he stops in front of the shelter and looks up slightly, making brief eye contact with Crystal, whose facial expression is filled with hurt. He shakes his head and walks away; Lazlo following close behind.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

Woohoo! We're in the majority! Now all we have to do is pick off the other three, and it's all smooth sailing from here! Pascal was right, it is great to be a Curious!

…

"So before we get into anything," Loki begins, walking deeper into the woods, "We should probably discuss who we're voting for tomorrow. So what are we doing? Are we voting off Nervous?" he asks Vidcund, leading the way, "You got to tell me now, or else I'm going to be really confused going into tribal."

Loki turns around only to find empty wilderness behind him. Loki starts to panic; Vidcund nowhere to be seen. "Vidcund? Vidcund!" Loki calls out, scanning the area, "Vidcund! Where did you go?!" Suddenly, Loki feels something or someone tap him on the back. Loki screams and quickly turns to the side; Vidcund bursting into a fit of laughter next to him.

"Damn it, Curious!" Loki curses, his hand situated on his rapidly beating chest, "You scared the shit out of me and-" Loki stops, noticing a strange, playful grin on the young scientist's face. "What?" he asks.

"-You love me," Vidcund smirks.

"Excuse me?" Loki squeaks.

"You love me!" Vidcund repeats, a bit louder this time, "Admit it. Admit it now! You can't deny that I'm adorable!" he beams.

"Yes, I-I mean, no!" Loki quickly corrects himself, appearing rather flustered, "Damn it! Where did you get that from?" he asks, unable to look his rival in the eye.

Vidcund steps forward, his playful smile fading. "Just tell me the truth, okay?"

"Right," Loki replies sarcastically, "Because I've maintained great success as a villain by telling the truth."

Vidcund sighs, "You're still on that?"

"It's my goal!" Loki responds, "And once I take over the world, I will reign as the supreme overlord and no one will be spared!"

"Not even me?" Vidcund wonders.

Loki shrugs, looking him over. "Eh, maybe you, if you stop asking stupid questions."

Vidcund leans back a bit, somewhat surprised by Loki's answer; a smile creeping back on the plant biologist's face. All of a sudden, Vidcund lungs forward and wraps his arms around Loki, passionately kissing him. After a short while, Loki pushes Vidcund back a tad, holding him at arms' length as he looks into his eyes. Loki grins, "Mm…you know, you're starting to change my mind," he states.

"That's good," Vidcund softly whispers, "But right now, that's not really what I'm after."

"Oh man," Loki replies, moving towards him. Loki stops, his eyes now on the camera that is pointed at them. "Look over there!" he shouts, gesturing to something off-screen. The pair giggles as Loki pushes the camera away in the opposite direction. The camera turns back, catching Vidcund and Loki racing into the depths of the woods; Loki giddily leading Vidcund by the hand.

 _Day 18_

The sun rises above the horizon for the seventeen time since the survivors had arrived on the island. Pascal and Lazlo are sitting near the campfire, conversing about their two missing alliance members, while the other three are stirring in the shelter. A few minutes later, Vidcund and Loki walk up behind their teammates on the beach. Both Vidcund and Loki are smiling, though clearly disheveled; Vidcund is carrying both of the water canisters.

"Where were you guys?" Pascal asks, looking his teammates over suspiciously.

Vidcund turns to Loki, a ponderous look on his face. "Uh…water well," Vidcund replies.

Lazlo grabs the canisters from his brother and gazes inside of them. He shakes the canisters, turning to Vidcund. "But these are empty," he notes.

"Yeah…" Vidcund trails off, his eyes drifting to the shore. "Uh, what were we talking about again?" he asks, wandering off with his lover before either of his brothers can answer.

Pascal turns to Lazlo, deeply concerned as he watches Vidcund follow Loki into the ocean. "Well, we should probably go get some water," Lazlo suggests, getting up to go to the well.

Pascal stands up, still staring off at the pair. "Yeah…" he says, walking behind Lazlo across the beach. The pair pass by the other alliance, who is busy conversing in the shelter. Pascal stops a foot from the entrance and scans the area, slipping into a nearby bush before the others can notice. Lazlo walks into the woods, completely oblivious to the fact that his brother is no longer behind him.

"This is it!" Nervous chimes out a few yards away, "They're voting me off! I heard them this morning!" he tells Crystal and Jenny, nestling his face into his hands.

"Don't worry, we can prevent this," Crystal says, placing a reassuring hand on his back, "All we have to do is use the idol."

Nervous shakes his head, "No," he states firmly, "I don't want to screw up your game just to save mine," he tells her, sounding surprisingly sure.

"You're not screwing up my game," Crystal says, pulling the idol out of her pocket. "You play this tonight, and we get rid of one of the Curious brothers."

"-Assuming they don't have an idol," Jenny adds next to her.

Crystal scrunches her eyebrows. "You really think they have one?" she asks.

"Crystal, their alliance is made up of four scientists," Jenny states, sporting a disbelieving glare, "If there is another idol, I can guarantee you that one of them has it."

Crystal looks at the mother and sighs. "Either way, we need to decide which one of the three of them we're voting for tonight."

"Wait, which of the three?" Nervous repeats, unsure if he has heard Crystal correctly, "You mean, you would take out Lazlo?" he wonders.

"Believe me, I would," Crystal answers, her tone surprisingly dull, "But as of yesterday, Lazlo hasn't really done anything at all to make a good case for him winning this thing."

Jenny nods. "Okay, then Pascal."

Crystal wraps her arms around her legs and lets out a heavy exhale. "Nah, I don't want to close the door on him just yet. I'm still keeping it open a bit just in case he decides to help us after all," she confesses.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Look, over the last few days I've learned a lot of things: I learned Loki is a heartless human being, I learned that my boyfriend is a wuss and he probably doesn't love me, and I learned that Survivor absolutely sucks. Tonight my entire fate in this game may lie in the hands of a man who got tangled up in his craft supplies. _(stares off into the distance and sighs)_ – And right now, Pascal's my only hope!

…

Jenny rolls her eyes. "Come on, Crystal. That is never going to happen!" she says, hoping to knock some sense into her teammate, "Loki won immunity and Pascal is tight with the other two," Jenny reminds her, "Pascal would never turn his back on Lazlo, and he would never in a million years even suggest voting off Vidcund."

"Maybe so," Crystal answers, "But unlike Vidcund, Pascal actually deserves to be here. And if we can't win this, then we at least owe it to ourselves to protect someone who does," Crystal reasons. Pascal widens his eyes from the bushes, unable to believe what he is hearing. "If we start casting votes for Pascal now, the others might catch on and try to vote him off."

"Alright," Nervous speaks up, "Then we'll vote off Vidcund," he states, giving Crystal a firm nod. Next to her, Jenny looks unsure.

 _A Few Minutes Later_

Pascal sighs as he in the woods, brushing some of the dirt off of his trunks with his hand. He stops in front of Lazlo, who is standing near the water well. "Hey, where were you?" Lazlo asks when he sees him.

"It doesn't matter," Pascal states suddenly, brushing the dirt off of his hands, "We got a problem and it's not pretty," Pascal stops for a moment, thinking this one over, "Well, actually it is," he reiterates, "We need to sacrifice Vidcund tonight to save our game."

"What?! No!" Lazlo outbursts.

"Come on, Lazlo," Pascal speaks, "Loki's gone too far, he's gotten out of control," he states, watching as his brother shakes his head; refusing to match his gaze. "You saw what Loki did yesterday, he almost made your girlfriend cry! He's become a bully, and he's going to take Vidcund down with him if we don't stop this now!"

Lazlo looks up, his face filled with hurt. "Pascal-"

"It's for his own good!" Pascal reasons, his argument growing, "We don't want him to become Loki's hand puppet, and right now, he's pretty damn close," he states, "We have to cut down Loki's power, Lazlo, and regain control of this thing. And if we don't vote Vidcund off tonight, then we're the enemy and those three people out there will never trust us!" Pascal exclaims, pointing in the direction of the shelter. "If we don't make this move, we'll never redeem ourselves to them or those jury members and we'll never win this thing. After all, what's worse? Being the bully or being the one who just sat there and watched it happen?" he asks, challengingly.

Lazlo brings his hand up to his mouth, clearly puzzled. "Uh…" Lazlo sighs and looks down at the ground, "That is the age-old question," he says. Lazlo looks up slightly, noticing his oldest brother holding his hand out. Lazlo sighs once more and loosely shakes it, still filled with uncertainty.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Tonight I could potentially be costing myself a million simoleons if this thing fails. And if it doesn't? Well, who knows what could come of this…? _(smiles)_

…

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

I don't know…I'm not sure about this. I know this may sound cliché, but Vidcund is actually my best friend. But on the other hand, this could be a great opportunity for me to finally make a massive move in this game and prove my loyalty to Pascal. This is a big decision. And the truth is, I just don't know what I'm going to do yet.

 _Later that Afternoon_

Lazlo is sitting alone on the shoreline, gazing out at the ocean. He sighs as he gently watches the waves trickle towards the shore. "Hey, what's up?" a voice rings out behind him; Lazlo turns around, noticing Vidcund sit down next to him. "I've been looking for you," he states.

Lazlo turns back towards the water, finding it hard to look at his brother. "I don't know," he confesses, "I've just been thinking a lot about things."

"Ah," Vidcund says, staring down at him, "About what?" he wonders.

Lazlo sighs. "You know, big picture things – like being on this island and where I stand here."

"Should I be worried?" Vidcund asks, scrunching his forehead.

Lazlo lifts his head up and stares to the side; getting a good look at his middle brother's face.

"No," Lazlo states confidently, "Not at all." Vidcund gives a small smile.

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

This is tough. This is the toughest decision I've ever had to make in my life. Do I follow through with the plan with Pascal to take Vid out? Do I vote for Nervous with Vidcund and Loki? Or do I tell Vidcund and Loki what Pascal is up to and take him out for even suggesting this betrayal, because I could probably get my sister to vote with us? Tonight I have to decide whether I'm playing for Pascal, I'm playing for Vid, or I'm playing for me. _(covers his face with his hands and groans)_ – Oh God.

 _Tribal Council_

All seven survivors walk into the tribal council area and set their torches and belongings down before taking their seats in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks to them and smiles. "We will now bring in the members of our jury," he announces, gesturing towards the entrance, "Pollination Tech #9," he calls out as the eldest jury member walks through the archway, "And Circe, who was voted out at the last tribal council," he states. Circe walks through the archway and sits down on the bleachers; she gives a death glare to Loki.

The Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together. "I can definitely sense a lot of hostility in this room right now. Circe certainly looks pissed," the host states, "Nervous, do you think her behavior is justified?" he asks.

"Uh," Nervous begins, looking over at Circe and then at Loki.

"I'll answer that," Crystal interrupts, raising her hand up next to him. "Yes. I think her anger is justified," she answers, "It was sucky what they did to her last week."

"Oh boohoo, get over it, girly!" Loki chimes in from a few seats down, "It's not like Circe ever had a chance of winning this thing anyway," he argues, "As far as I'm concerned, she wasn't even a player."

Crystal leans forward, narrowing her eyes at him. "Circe was a player, and you only got rid of her because you were scared by the fact that she was outplaying you!"

" _I always knew I liked that girl,"_ Circe whispers to Pollination Tech #9, giving a smirk.

"Yeah right! She did _not_ outplay me," Loki replies, "And if she was a player, she was a minor one at best! But that's more than I can say for you!" Loki shouts, before turning his attention to the host. "You see, on every team there are players and there are pawns. And these three," Loki gestures to Crystal, Jenny, and Nervous, "-Are pawns."

Crystal sassily tilts her head, " _Really_?" she snarls.

"Geez Jenny, those are some pretty harsh words coming from Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan says, turning towards the mother, "Do you have anything to say in response?"

Jenny shrugs. "Hey, I've been underestimated my entire life, so I'm not offended by that at all," she answers, "In fact, I take it as a personal challenge."

"Crystal, what about you?" the host asks, "You've already voiced a complaint about being called a pawn."

"Yes," Crystal nods, "But I guess it's just a matter of how people perceive things," she says, "I mean, some people might call me a pawn because they haven't seen anything that I've done."

"Please," Loki snickers, rolling his eyes at this statement. He looks to the host. "I think it's cute that Crystal thinks that she can play in the big leagues when she hasn't even done one strategic move all season." Next to him, all three of the Curious brothers look uncomfortable.

"Well I think it's hilarious that you would boost up the importance of strategy, when you've let someone else make most of your decisions," Crystal fires back, "You're only here because that man spared you!" Crystal points to Pascal, "Your only strategic plan failed, and you were lucky enough to catch a break!"

"Yeah, and how many of your plans have actually worked?" Loki snarls; Crystal is silent. "-Yeah, that's what I thought."

Crystal moves closer to him. "Don't count me out yet, I could surprise you," she warns.

"Please!" Loki states, brushing it off, "You were out the moment you stepped on this island. You're a joke, Vu! And I don't hear anyone refuting that."

Around him, everyone is silent. The Unsavory Charlatan and the survivors look over at Lazlo; he gazes down at the ground and says nothing.

"-I'll refute that!" a voice calls out next to him. Everyone on sight turns and looks to Nervous, who is holding his hand up.

" _What_?" Loki speaks up, unable to believe what he is hearing.

"You heard me," Nervous answers with a smile, "I think Crystal is the best player out here. She beat your wife and she beat your sister, and they were both better players than you – so I really don't think you have a chance."

Loki waves his hand disbelievingly "Psh! Believe me, I'll be here on day thirty, but you two will be long gone."

Nervous leans back and smugly looks up at the sky. "We'll see," he choruses, "A lot can happen in twelve days."

"And with that, it is time to vote," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, still trying to soak all of this new information in, "Wow, this one should be a doozy!" he awes, "Nervous, you're up first."

Nervous nods and walks up to the voting station. One by one the remaining survivors walk up to the voting station and cast their votes, until only three survivors remain. Pascal approaches the voting station and writes Vidcund's name down on the piece of parchment. He holds it up to the camera. "If it's one thing I know about Curiouses, it's that we're not bullies, and I can't risk you losing your integrity for some fling," he tells the camera as he folds up the vote and places it into the box. "You'll thank me for this later."

Pascal exits the voting station and walks back over to the others. Once he sits down, Loki stands up and makes his way over to the voting station. He uncaps the pen and writes the person's name down. He holds the piece of parchment up to the camera. "Crystal, you're not pretty, you're not smart, and you're horrible at this game – so naturally, I'm voting for someone else, cause he's got a better chance at winning this game than you do, even though it's only a mere 2% to your zero."

Loki casts his vote and rejoins the others. Lazlo sighs as he slowly stands up, shaking the entire way to the voting station. Lazlo stops at the table, shaking as he eyes the piece of blank parchment situated in front of him. Lazlo slowly reaches forward and uncaps the pen, bringing his hand up to his face ponderously. After a few moments, Lazlo shakily begins to write. He holds his vote up to the camera.

"I'm sorry for what I am about to do, but it's for the best. I have to make this move, even if it kills me," Lazlo confesses, "This is not the game that I want to play."

Lazlo slowly makes his way back to his seat, sighing as he plops back down in front of Pascal. Lazlo turns away from his brother.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns to the survivors. "I'll go get the votes," he states, walking over to the voting station to retrieve the box. The Unsavory Charlatan sets it on his podium and places his hand on the lid. "If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and they would like to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Crystal looks around and gives a small sigh as she reaches down in her bag. She is about to pull it out, when Pascal discreetly moves her hand down. Crystal turns slightly, trying to catch Pascal's eyes, but he is turned towards the host.

"Alright," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "Once I read the votes, the decision is final, the person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately," he announces, "I'll read the votes."

The host opens up the voting box and retrieves the first piece of parchment. "First vote – Nervous," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning the first piece of parchment over, "Second vote – Nervous," he announces, showing the survivors the second vote. "That's two votes Nervous." Nervous nods as Lazlo continues to shake nearby.

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box once more, retrieving the third piece of parchment. "Third vote – Vidcund," he states, turning the vote over. He reaches into the box once more and unfolds the next one. "Fourth vote – Vidcund," the host announces, turning it over. "That's two votes Nervous, two votes Vidcund. Three votes left," he says.

The host reaches into the voting box for the fifth time and retrieves another piece of parchment. "Fifth vote – Pascal," he announces, turning the piece of parchment over.

Crystal looks to her teammates, clearly confused. _"I thought we were voting for Pascal,"_ Jenny whispers behind her.

Crystal shakes her head, now feeling weak in the knees. _"No,"_ she whispers back.

" _Sorry,"_ Jenny mouths to her.

Crystal sighs and covers her eyes, unable to face the final two votes. Nervous grabs her hand as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box once again.

"Sixth vote – Vidcund," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, revealing the vote to the survivors. Crystal uncovers her face when she hears his name.

"Wait, what?" Vidcund speaks up from his seat. Next to him, Loki is puzzled.

Crystal squints ahead, recognizing Pascal's handwriting on the piece of parchment. She turns to Pascal, who raises his eyebrows a few times and mouths the words 'little guys' to her. Lazlo is still shaking next to him.

"Alright, so here's where we stand," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, "Right now, we have three votes for Vidcund, two votes for Nervous, and one vote for Pascal," he reminds them, "If this last vote is for anyone but Nervous, then Vidcund is voted out. If not, then we will have a tie and will be forced to do a tiebreaker for the first time in this game," he states, "I'll read the vote."

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box for the final time that day and retrieves the last vote. He opens it up and glances down at the piece of parchment. "Eighth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the third member of our jury is…Vidcund," he says, turning over the final vote, which is written in Lazlo's handwriting.

" _Holy shit,"_ Circe whispers to Pollination Tech #9 on the jury, _"Lazlo grew balls."_

"Oh my gosh, you do love me!" Crystal shouts, tearing up. Crystal races over and hugs him. Lazlo quickly places his head between his knees as he starts hyperventilating. "Babe, are you okay?" Crystal asks as she rubs his back with her hand.

Lazlo moans and leans back, still rapidly breathing as he starts to panic. All of a sudden, Lazlo falls backwards, slipping through Crystal's fingers. He passes out on the floor.

"Lazlo!" Pascal shouts, running over to him.

"Oh my God!" Vidcund screams, racing over to him as well. Everyone on both the tribe and the jury get up and start gathering around the fallen scientist. The Unsavory Charlatan weaves through the crowd, pushing them back with his hand.

"Everybody, back up! Give him some space!" he instructs, "We're going to need to get an ambulance out here…"

 _To Be Continued._


	7. Episode 7: Retaliation

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Seven –** _Retaliation_

A team of paramedics are checking over Lazlo, who is still passed out on the floor in the tribal council area. The six remaining survivors as well as the two jury members are standing off to the side away from him, as instructed by the Unsavory Charlatan. Nervous is hanging onto Crystal, who looks like she is about to cry. Vidcund and Pascal are standing in front of one of the structure's pillars closer to their younger brother, both of them looking devastated.

"I did it," Pascal speaks up, his eyes watering, "I killed Lazlo! Every year on his birthday I would promise him that I'd never accidentally kill him, and then this happens!" Pascal bursts out crying.

"Geez, calm down, crazy," Loki says, "He just passed out, he's not dead," he tells him, "He'll probably be fine in a few minutes."

"Is anyone here a doctor?" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts from across the room as he sits crouched in front of Lazlo.

"-He is," Vidcund replies, gesturing down to Lazlo.

Pascal shakes his head. "How ironic."

"Really?" the Unsavory Charlatan calls out, unable to believe what he is hearing, "The guy that eats from the trash is a doctor?"

"Hey, he knows his capabilities!" Pascal chimes.

Loki steps forward and looks down at the youngest Curious brother. "Apparently not, since he's on the ground," he states. Loki turns to Vidcund, who is now glaring at him; Loki shrugs. "Someone had to say it!"

Circe weaves her way through the other survivors and raises her hand up. "I'm a doctor," she informs the host as she kneels down in front of the scientist. Circe looks up at Vidcund, giving him a sassy smirk. "Don't worry, I won't hurt him. In fact, I like him a whole lot better now that he voted you off." Vidcund narrows his eyes at his ex-girlfriend.

Fifty minutes later, all of the remaining survivors are still waiting to hear the status of their teammate. Everyone is now sitting on the floor. Loki groans, Vidcund asleep on his shoulder.

"Well, I'm calling it – he's dead," Loki speaks up, "Boohoo, at least we got two spares!" he states, gesturing to Pascal and Vidcund. Pascal shoves Loki with his elbow. "Oww!"

"Ugh," Pascal groans, standing up from his spot to stretch his legs out. He does some arm stretches.

"Hey, what are we waiting for?" Lazlo's voice rings out behind his brother.

Pascal groans and moves his arm back, lightly pressing his hand up against his youngest brother's face. Pascal yawns, barely keeping his eyes open. "Shut up, Lazlo!" he whines, turning to look at him. Pascal moves his hand down, Lazlo flashing a smile. "Lazlo!" Pascal beams, throwing his arms around his brother and squeezing tight.

Within seconds, everyone else has gathered around the pair. "How long have you been standing there?" Vidcund asks him.

"-About thirty-seven minutes," Lazlo replies.

Vidcund groans, throwing his arms out. "Why didn't you say anything?!" he questions.

Lazlo shrugs, scanning over the rest of his tribemates, who are all watching him intently. "I thought we were doing a reward challenge!"

Vidcund facepalms and sighs. "So, you're alright?" he asks. Lazlo nods. "Well, in that case-" Vidcund takes a deep breath, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" he screams at his brothers, "WHY DID YOU TWO VOTE ME OFF?!" Lazlo cringes.

"Oh, that's right, we never finished tribal council," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up behind them; he claps his hands together, "Alright. Everyone resume your places; we have to finish this thing up!"

"Are you sure Lazlo's alright?" Crystal chimes in.

The host nods. "Yep. Circe checked him over. He regained consciousness rather quickly. Now Vidcund, you'll need to bring me your torch," he instructs the plant biologist.

Vidcund shakes his head as he reluctantly sets his torch in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. "Unbelievable," he states.

"Vidcund," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, "The tribe has spoken," he announces, snuffing out his torch, "It's time for you to go."

Vidcund nods and turns back to his brothers, his face in a line. "I am so mad at you – I'm never going to forgive you guys! And there is no way that you two are ever going to win this thing, so I hope you're happy!"

" _-I know I am,"_ Circe whispers to Pollination Tech #9, unable to mask the smile that is shining on her face.

"Okay Vidcund, you have to leave now," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, standing between Vidcund and his brothers as Vidcund continues to yell at them; Lazlo is cowering a bit, but Pascal looks unfazed. Finally, the Unsavory Charlatan sighs and gestures a few sims over to him, "Security!" he shouts.

Two security guards walk into the structure and grab Vidcund on both sides. "Hey – what are you doing?!" Vidcund shouts as they lead him out of the structure. Pascal and Lazlo can still hear their brother cussing at them from outside.

Pascal exhales and nudges his little brother. "So, do you think he's mad?" he asks; Lazlo glares at him.

"-That was so messed up," Loki says behind the pair, looking positively dumbfounded.

"Well, if tonight has taught us anything, it's that nothing is for certain in this game," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the six remaining survivors, "Survivor is an individual game and the sooner you learn that, the greater you will succeed," he pauses, allowing the survivors to ponder these words over, "Pack up your stuff and head back to camp. Goodnight."

The six remaining survivors grab their belongings and exit the tribal council area, walking into the night.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Closing Words_

Words can't even describe how shocked I am right now. I am horrified at what my brothers did to me. The crazy thing is, the one person that I originally thought I couldn't trust, was the only one that didn't betray me. That's just some messed-up shit and I'm really disappointed because I know I could've done way better. I wish everyone luck, except my brothers. I'll probably forgive Lazlo, because it seems like Pascal just pressured him into voting for me, but Pascal, after what you just did to me, there is no way in hell that I would ever vote for you, so I hope you get screwed over. Yeah, this whole thing sucks, but at least I left with Loki's wallet! _(holds it up to the camera)_

Across the island, Loki is scrounging around in his pockets. "Damn it!" he curses.

 _Day 19_

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

I woke up today feeling even sicker than I did when I was actually sick here on day seven. I'm butt-hurt right now; I'm not going to lie. Last night, we were supposed to vote off Nervous, and for some reason the two nincompoops thought it would be a good idea to destroy our entire alliance and vote off their own brother instead. Obviously neither Vidcund nor I saw it coming, he went home feeling like a fool, and I'm still here feeling really betrayed. I don't know who to believe anymore, and right now, all I want is revenge.

…

Loki walks up behind Pascal and Lazlo who are both standing near the shelter; the other three survivors are lounging inside of it. "I can't believe you just went and did that last night!" Loki speaks up behind them, his face fuming, "Did our alliance mean nothing to you? What about our deal?" Loki questions.

Pascal puts down his canteen and steps forward, looking at Loki straight in the eyes. "Your deal was with me, I kept my promise – _you're_ still here," he answers him, "Besides, you two were getting out of control."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Loki responds animatedly, "Did you not like me dating your brother? You know he's an adult, right? He can make his own decisions!"

Pascal crosses his arms; Lazlo ducking into the shelter behind him. "Funny, I was unaware of the fact that my 'older brother' card had an expiration date!"

"Yeah, it expired the same day you threw your common sense card out the window!" Loki fires back.

Pascal rolls his eyes. "Yeah, like you should be the one lecturing me about common sense."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Gee, I don't know," Pascal begins, "Maybe that if you act like an ass, people are going to retaliate? Good luck digging your way out of this one," he states, swiftly grabbing his canteen and exiting the area; Loki watching every move he makes.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Loki may be intelligent, but he's not very smart, and you need both to succeed in this game. If I want to beat him, I have to stay three steps ahead, because after last night, he's going to be out for blood. I just gotta make sure it's not mine.

 _Later that Afternoon_

Pascal sighs as he walks through the forest, gazing up at the trees as he gently breathes in the fresh air around him. "Pascal! Pascal, wait up!" a voice rings out behind the scientist. Pascal quickly turns around, finding Crystal running after him, crunching through a few of the fallen leaves.

"Oh, hey," Pascal greets as the young townie approaches him, a rather large smile on her face, "What's up?" he asks.

"What's up?" Crystal repeats, a hint of surprise in her voice, "You flip the entire game on its side last night and you ask _me_ what's up?" she beams.

"-Yes," Pascal nods, matter-of-factly.

"Look, after all that, I gotta ask – Why did you vote with us?"

Pascal crosses his arms, a sassy smirk on his face. "Come on Crystal, you know why," he states.

Crystal scrunches her forehead and shakes her head. "No, I don't. You gotta tell me."

Pascal sighs and looks her over. "Okay," he says, "I thought about you said to me a few days ago," Pascal confesses, "You know, when you said that I know what it's like to be on the bottom?" he reiterates, "And back at the reward challenge, you were the only one who stood up for me. So…thanks," he says sincerely, "But I hope you know now that we're even, we're back to being competitors again," he reminds her, "So it's game on, Vu."

Crystal slowly nods, her eyes shining at this news. "Gotcha," she speaks up, "Game on, Curious."

The pair shake hands before they both turn away from each other, walking in opposing directions. _"I gotta get her out as soon as possible,"_ Pascal mutters to himself as he heads to the waterfall.

" _I gotta get him out as soon as possible,"_ Crystal mutters to herself as she heads back to the campsite.

 _Reward Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, gesturing all six remaining survivors towards the center of the beach. The castaways step onto the bright yellow tribal mat and look up at the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his heads together. "Well, well, well, we're down to the final six," he states, "And after last night's tribal council, it appears that there is still a lot of animosity in this group."

"You got that right!" Loki states, glaring at Pascal.

"That's why today, instead of attempting to resolve tribal disputes, we're going to capitalize on the hatred between you," the host informs the survivors, "This is the perfect chance for revenge," he says, "So here's how this challenge is going to work: Behind me, you'll notice that each of you have been assigned a table that has your name on it. Situated on the table are three vases. You have each been given a slingshot and twenty balls. When I say go, you will attempt to knock over your tribemate's vases, all while keeping your vases safe," he explains, "If all three of your vases break, you are out of the challenge."

"Now here's where the strategy comes in, because if you spend all of your time protecting your vases, you may not be able to knock down anyone else's," the Unsavory Charlatan informs them, "To win, you have to figure out how to manage your time effectively. How bad do you want reward? Do you really want to win, or do you want to spend the whole challenge making sure that your enemy doesn't?" he questions, "The winner gets an advantage in the next immunity challenge, so it is definitely worth playing for."

"Aw! Can't we just win a cheese sandwich?" Lazlo whines.

The Unsavory Charlatan glares at him. "Don't you start complaining! The last thing I need is two Pascals!" he exclaims, gesturing between the two Curious brothers. "Anyway, I'll give you all a moment to strategize and then we will begin!"

Fifteen minutes later, all of the survivors are situated in front of their designated tables; the Unsavory Charlatan is standing several feet above them on a tall bamboo platform. "Alright, for reward, survivors ready…? Go!" he shouts, throwing his hand down.

Almost immediately, the six survivors pick up their slingshots and begin shooting. Loki aims down and knocks down one of Pascal's vases. "That's for taking out Vidcund!" he shouts.

Pascal knocks down one of Loki's vases. "And that's for doing him!" Pascal replies. Nearby, Jenny has just knocked down one of Crystal's vases.

"Jenny! What the hell?" Crystal shouts to her teammate.

Jenny shrugs. "Sorry Crystal, but I want to win!" Jenny quickly ducks, a ball barely missing her.

"Sorry Jenny," Nervous chimes in behind her, "I was aiming for someone else. I'm not very good at this!" he confesses.

The Unsavory Charlatan steps forward, smiling at all of the chaos that is going on beneath him. "Man, almost everyone here is out for blood," the host states, eagerly rubbing his hands together, "But who has what it takes to make it all the way to the end?"

"Hey!" Pascal choruses as Loki knocks down his last remaining vase.

"Sorry," Loki smirks, his tone not matching his words. Loki's last vase smashes into pieces. "Oh come on!" Loki states, looking up at the man that threw the ball.

"Hey, Circe said I had balls!" Lazlo defends, throwing his hands up with a smile.

"And just like that Pascal and Loki are out of the challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, "Take a seat on the sit-out bench and let's see who wins this thing!" he instructs; the survivors nod and take a seat beside the podium.

Five minutes later, Crystal, Nervous, Jenny, and Lazlo are still in the challenge, trying their best to knock each other out. The challenge is getting rather violent, as dozens of balls are flying in the air. Nervous takes his last vase and hides under his table.

"-Well, I guess that's one way to do it," Pascal states, watching his friend hug the vase to his chest.

"Aww man!" Jenny throws her arms down.

The Unsavory Charlatan steps forward, "That was Jenny's final vase, Jenny, you are out!" The mother nods and heads over the sit out bench. The host smirks as he looks down at the three remaining sims. "And then there were three. Lazlo is up two to one – and he just took out his own vase."

"Damn it!" Lazlo curses, sitting up from his table. He smiles, noticing that Crystal is aiming towards him. "You wouldn't," he states.

Crystal smirks. "Watch me."

Lazlo quickly reaches behind him and grabs his slingshot, aiming it at her table. The pair continues to stare sassily at each other for a few moments, before simultaneously releasing their slings; both of their vases crack in half.

Lazlo and Crystal step off their tables, both clearly confused. "Wait, how do we determine who wins?" Lazlo asks the host, still hanging onto his slingshot, "We both fell at the same time, it's a tie!" he argues.

The Unsavory Charlatan cocks his head. "Is it?" he asks as the three survivors on the sit-out bench glance over at Nervous's table. The Unsavory Charlatan turns to Crystal, "Crystal, tell your friend that he won."

Crystal turns to Lazlo, flashing him a puzzled look, before walking over to Nervous's table and peering under it. "Nervous?" she states when he sees him, "The Unsavory Charlatan says you won."

"Really?" Nervous chimes, getting up from out of the table and holding onto his perfectly intact vase, "I can't believe it! I've never won anything!" Nervous starts bouncing up and down as the other survivors walk over to him. "Man, this is like the time that I found that Cheeto in the couch!"

"Cheeto?" Loki repeats, turning to glare at Pascal.

Pascal shifts his eyes from side-to-side. "What?" he states.

"And who said cowardice never paid off?" the Unsavory Charlatan says, giving Nervous a pat on the back. The vase falls down of his hands and cracks into a million pieces. "Congratulations Nervous, you won the challenge and with it, this!" he exclaims, handing Nervous a rolled up piece of paper. "Use it well!" he instructs him; Nervous nods.

"Aww man! You never said that we were playing for a piece of paper!" Pascal states next to the host, "That's almost as good of a prize as that dirty piece of rice from day one!"

The Unsavory Charlatan groans and shakes his head, before reaching into his pocket and popping an aspirin into his mouth. The host sighs. "As for the rest of you, I've got nothing for you. Head back to camp and I will see all of you tomorrow at your next immunity challenge!" The survivors nod and walk back towards their beach, a few of them congratulating Nervous before they do so.

 _Later that Night_

Pascal and Lazlo are lying down in the shelter alone, looking up at the bamboo ceiling. Neither of them has said a word to each other since they returned from the reward challenge. "Do you regret what we did?" Pascal speaks up suddenly; he turns to his little brother, "You know, to Vid?" he clarifies.

Lazlo shakes his head. "No," he states, "Do you?"

Pascal sighs as he turns back to the ceiling, mulling this over. "No," he replies into the open air. "Not at all."

"Hey! Curious!" Loki speaks up, hitting Pascal in the knee. "Get up. I want to talk to you."

Pascal gives Lazlo a suspicious look before sitting up in place; Loki climbs in next to him and takes a seat. "Look, I've thought this over, and I want back in," Loki tells them, "What's passed is past. I want us to be solid again."

Pascal scrunches his forehead. "Really?" he responds, "Why?"

"Because we need to band together to take out this island's biggest threat," Loki replies.

"And who's that?" Pascal wonders.

"-Crystal," Loki answers, "So are you guys in or not?"

Pascal and Lazlo turn to each other and smile before turning back to face their alliance member. "Oh, we're in. We're definitely in," Pascal promises.

 _Five Minutes Later_

"-Loki is trying to get rid of Crystal," Pascal tells Nervous as the two of them head towards the waterfall, collecting wood for the fire along the way. "He told me this a few minutes ago and he's stupid enough to think that I won't tell you."

"Okay," Nervous speaks up, "So who's in this? The three of you?"

Pascal nods. "Loki thinks Lazlo and I are onboard, but we're not. I say if he loses immunity tomorrow, we can him. He's too dangerous to keep around any longer."

Nervous nods, not having to give this suggestion a second thought. "Alright, yeah. It's a deal."

"Great," Pascal replies, shaking Nervous's hand. "Now remember: We never had this talk."

"Right," Nervous agrees, watching as Pascal walks further into the woods.

" _I know it looks like I'm throwing Loki under the bus – and I totally am,"_ Pascal whispers to the camera, _"But I need to keep the target off of myself, and this may be the only way to do it!"_

 _Meanwhile – In the Shelter_

Lazlo is lying down fast asleep in the shelter after five minutes of struggling to bend a twig with his mind. Jenny softly moves over to her brother and slips the twig out of his hand; Crystal watching carefully behind her. Jenny snaps the twig in half and places the end of it back into Lazlo's hand; she cups his fingers around it.

Jenny smiles and turns around, noticing Crystal giving her a puzzled look a few feet away. "Hey, we've been doing this for twenty-three years, and I'm not going to stop now. As far as he knows, he's psychic," she tells her.

Nervous slips into the shelter and taps Crystal on the back; the four of them alone in the shelter. "Pascal says Loki's after you," he tells his teammate as she sits up next to him, "So we gotta make sure you win tomorrow, or we have to make sure Loki _doesn't_ win cause Pascal wants him gone."

"Of course Pascal wants him gone," Jenny joins in, "Pascal wants Loki gone to save himself another three days. I say we make sure neither Loki nor Pascal wins tomorrow, and then we can pick off the one who gives us the weaker offer."

Crystal sits in silence for a moment, a perplexed look on her face. "These are both good options, but how much do you want to bet that when I lose the challenge, both of them are still going to go after me?"

Jenny looks to Nervous and shrugs; Nervous shakes his head and turns to Crystal. "They won't be able to go after you, because you're going to win tomorrow," he assures her, "Cause I'm going to give you my advantage."

"Nervous, _no_ ," Crystal quickly states, waving the offer away, "I don't want you to do that."

"Come on Crystal," Nervous replies, "You saved me yesterday, so I'm going to save you," he states, "Besides, I'm terrible at these challenges. I only won the one today cause I hid under the table," he reminds her.

Crystal still shakes her head. "Look, I appreciate the offer, but if I win this, I want to win this for real," she says, "Plus, you earned that advantage and I don't want to take it away from you. As long as one of us wins tomorrow, everything should be fine," she states.

Jenny sighs and looks up at the ceiling. "God, I sure hope you're right."

 _Day 20_

The sun slowly rises above the horizon, gently lighting up the campsite where four of the remaining survivors lie. Meanwhile, in the woods, Crystal is walking towards the water well, holding two empty containers in her hands. She walks past a bush, when she feels something grab onto her leg. Crystal screams as she is pulled into the plant. "Pascal!" Crystal shrieks when she finds him behind her, sitting inside of the gigantic plant, "What the-?"

"It's Thorny Bush Thursday!" Pascal chimes, doing jazz hands enthusiastically in front of the young townie.

Crystal groans. "Please tell that is not some weird sexual innuendo," she states.

"It's not!" Pascal chimes, raising his hand in point, "You see, every Thursday since we got here, Vidcund and I would take turns hiding in a bush and trying to scare each other," he begins, stopping to bring his hand up to his chin, "Well, okay, maybe I was the only one that was actually onboard with this game, and maybe it kind of caused me to get punched in the face by Loki once, but it's still fun!" Pascal explains, "And since Vidcund's not here anymore, we're both bored, and you were the first person that walked by – we can now play it together!" he cheers.

Crystal leans back a bit, readjusting her legs in the branches. "Gee, I don't know," she begins. "I'm flattered, but I'm not really good at these kinds of things."

"It's easy, you just have to be subtle," Pascal informs her, "Here, I'll show you!" Pascal moves back a bit allowing a few of the branches to move between himself and Crystal. "To do this challenge, you must fully immerse yourself with nature."

Crystal shrugs. "I already use the bathroom in the ocean, isn't that enough?" she asks.

"No," Pascal replies, "First, you must talk to the plant. Lean down and say, 'Hi plant' and then gently pat it," he says, giving the bush a few delicate pats.

Crystal tilts her head, confused, wondering if Pascal has in fact lost his mind. "Uh…okay," she states, leaning down towards the branches, "Uh, hi plant," she states, giving the bush a gentle pat.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I think Pascal really misses Vidcund and he doesn't want to admit it. But he's never going to feel better about the way things went down a few days ago, if he doesn't get these feelings out. Hopefully this will help him do that.

…

"Good," Pascal says after Crystal has completed patting the bush; he wraps his arms around his knees. "-And that's all I know about appreciating nature," he confesses, before giving a sigh and sitting down with his legs crossed, "Yeah, Vidcund was the plant biologist," Pascal states, "He knows more about this stuff than I do."

Crystal nods, "I see," she replies; the area quiet around them. "You miss your brother, don't you?" she asks.

Pascal sighs. "A little," he says. Pascal's eyes trail up, noticing that Crystal is raising her eyebrow in disbelief. "Okay fine, a lot," he corrects himself, "You know, before we left, he was spraying himself with pesticides," he vents, "Vidcund has this weird theory that if he does it enough, he will 'become one with nature' – whatever that means," Pascal says, pushing his glasses back up the ridge of his nose. Pascal smiles and gently shakes his head. "-What a goof," Pascal laughs, turning out towards the waterfall.

After a few moments of listening to the waves, Pascal turns back to Crystal. "Hey, can I tell you something non-game related?" he asks.

Crystal smirks. "You mean all the stuff before this _was_ game related?"

Pascal laughs. "Yeah, really," he states as he starts playing with one of the bush branches. All of a sudden, he stops and looks back up at Crystal. "I'm jealous of Loki," he states quietly.

Crystal leans forward, unsure if she has heard him correctly. "You're jealous of Loki?" she repeats.

"Yeah," Pascal states, giving a small sigh as he grabs onto the bush once more, "Not romantically of course, but – I don't know - I guess I'm just worried that he's going to take Vidcund away from me," he confesses to her, "And then who's going to keep me from doing stupid shit?" he wonders, "Trust me, if Vidcund ever moves out and leaves the three of us alone, I can guarantee you that the house will catch fire the first five seconds he's gone." Crystal laughs. Pascal's face drops as the worry remains fresh in his mind; sadness filling his eyes. "God, I would miss him so much."

Crystal nods, his sadness now reaching her as well. "Come here," she states, opening her arms up and gesturing him towards her. Pascal looks up and moves forward, wiping away a tear from his eye. He wraps his arms around Crystal, the additional weight causing her to lose balance.

"Whoa!" Crystal cries as she falls out of the bush; Pascal landing on top of her. A few feet away, Lazlo stands in front of the pair, looking positively horrified.

"Pascal? Crystal?" Lazlo speaks up as he stares down at the compromising position that they are now in, "What the hell is going on here?!" he squeaks, covering his mouth with his hand, "Oh God!" he cries, looking as though he is about to vomit. Lazlo races further into the woods.

"Lazlo, wait!" Pascal calls out, quickly getting off of his brother's girlfriend. Pascal races after him as Crystal sits up from the dirt, clearly concerned.

A few minutes later, Crystal returns to the shelter and grabs her canteen. Nervous and Jenny sit up when they see her.

"Hey, where were you?" Nervous asks her.

Crystal unscrews the lid of her canteen and takes a swig. "In the woods," she answers, "Lazlo caught me underneath his brother."

"Why were you underneath Pascal?" Nervous asks, his forehead scrunched in confusion.

"-Because I was talking to a plant," Crystal says, taking another drink.

Jenny moves forward, confused as well. "Why were you talking to a plant?" she wonders.

"Because it's Thorny Bush Thursday!" Crystal exclaims, throwing her arms down.

Nervous shivers. "Please tell me that is not some kind of weird sexual innuendo," he states.

"None of this is making any sense!" Jenny shouts to Crystal.

Nearby, Loki turns and lies down on his stomach, "Please! That's the most sensible thing Crystal's said all season!" he mutters.

Crystal chugs the rest of her water and groans. "Thanks Loki."

 _Meanwhile – In the Woods_

"Lazlo! Lazlo!" Pascal shouts after his brother who is still racing through the woods away from him. Lazlo turns the corner and heads straight towards the waterfall.

"Go away, Pascal!" Lazlo yells back as he inches away from him, "I don't want to talk to you!"

Pascal sighs, throwing his arms down in frustration, "Lazlo, come on! This is ridiculous!"

Lazlo stops walking and crosses his arms, allowing his older brother to catch up with him. Lazlo narrows his eyes at Pascal. "Uh-huh," he glares, "And why is it so hard to believe that you have a thing with my girlfriend?!" he wonders.

"Because I'm gay!" Pascal shouts, his voice echoing through the woods, "And you know that I'm gay! _Everyone_ knows that I'm gay!" he clarifies, "Now come on, what is this really about?" he asks, "Is this about yesterday? Are you mad at me because I made you pass out? Are you pissed off because we voted off Vidcund?" he guesses.

Lazlo sighs and slumps his shoulders, having a hard time facing Pascal. "No," he squeaks, pacing around a bit and kicking a pebble in the dirt, "It's just…I don't know."

"Come on Lazlo, you know," Pascal steps forward, still staring at his brother, "You can't even look at me."

Lazlo takes a deep breath and looks up at Pascal. "I don't know if I can do this, okay? I don't know if I can do _this_ ," Lazlo states, gesturing at the scenery around them. "I'm not cut out for this Pascal, okay? I'm not you. I'm not that smart, and I'm not strategic, and I'm not cut-throat," he confesses, "Crystal was right, okay? I'm not shaping myself out to be a winner."

Pascal slowly nods, a single thought racing through his brain. "But do you want to be?" he asks. "Do you really want to win? Or do you feel like it's just being forced on you?"

Lazlo presses his lips together, carefully thinking this one over. "Look, it's not just the game, okay?" Lazlo speaks up suddenly, "But lately I've just been feeling like I'm not good enough," he confesses, his eyes drifting back to the ground, "Crystal deserves so much better than me. I mean, she was being bullied at tribal council and I was too scared to even say anything! That's pathetic!" Lazlo screams, "Heck, even Loki's test subject objected!" he cries, before digging his face into his hands.

"Lazlo, stop. You're being too hard on yourself," Pascal says, placing a consoling hand on his brother's shoulder, "You're not pathetic, and Crystal knows that you care about her. And as far as the whole game thing? Who cares if you're not the typical cut-throat player? Be whatever you want to be! This is your game, not anyone else's," Pascal tells him, "Lazlo, look at me, okay?" Lazlo nods and looks up at Pascal, "You are important, and I would not be here if it weren't for you," he assures him, Pascal's eyes filling with intensity. "It's you and me, okay? That's the way it's always been. And if you can't do this, then I'll take the reins and win it for both of us."

Lazlo gently nods, his eyes watering a bit as he continues to stare down at the dirt. "Okay," he speaks softly, "It's okay. I can do this," he assures him, staring up at Pascal, "It's you and me 'til the end." Lazlo sniffs and gives another nod before wrapping his arms around his older brother; giving him a hug.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Sometimes I forget that Lazlo is a little more fragile and a lot more kind than I am. And he always has my back. But even though we have our differences, he'll always be my little brother. _(smiles)_ And that makes me really happy.

 _Later that Afternoon_

Jenny, Loki, and Nervous are lying down fast asleep in the shelter when a dark figure approaches them. "HEY GUYS!" a voice blares out suddenly, causing all three of the sleeping survivors to spring into action, "WAKE UP! IT'S CHALLENGE TIME!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, shouting through a gigantic megaphone.

Loki glares and crosses his arms. "If you were anyone but the host, I would punch you in the face right now," he snarls; Jenny and Nervous are standing up next to him.

"What's going on here?" Crystal asks, walking towards the center of the beach with Pascal and Lazlo lingering behind her. They stop in front of the host.

"Good question!" the Unsavory Charlatan replies, giving his finger an enthusiastic snap, "Today, instead of having you guys travel all the way across the island, I decided to cut you all a break, and have the immunity challenge here!" he shouts, "Isn't that exciting?"

Loki sighs, "That depends, is this a sleeping competition or something stupid like always?" he questions.

The Unsavory Charlatan laughs. "It's not a sleeping competition, Loki. In fact, the challenge that you guys are about to participate in, is a great tactic to use if you're trying to stay awake," he explains, turning to all six of the survivors, "Now, everyone come follow me into the woods."

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Today's immunity challenge is really important, probably the most important challenge for me yet. Yesterday I found out that Loki is coming after me, and after what happened last week, I know for a fact that Pascal now sees me as a strategic threat. Even though I don't yet know the outcome of this challenge, I do know that it's game on, because both of those men want me gone. _(smiles)_ Wish me luck!

 _Immunity Challenge_

The host smiles as the survivors stop on the bright yellow tribal mat that is situated in the heart of the woods. The Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together, gesturing to the six stations that are standing behind him. "Hello everyone and welcome to today's immunity challenge," he greets, "First thing's first, Loki, I gotta take it back," he says, walking over to Loki and grabbing the immunity necklace from the villain. The Unsavory Charlatan walks back to where he was originally standing and places the immunity necklace on the pedestal. "And just like that, immunity is once again back up for grabs!" he states.

"So, for today's immunity challenge, all six of you will stand at one of these six stations behind me," the Unsavory Charlatan explains, turning towards the stations and presenting them to the survivors, "As you can see, these stations consist of nothing more than a giant backwards L-shaped pole jutting out of the dirt with a string attached to it. If you look at the very top of the structure, you will see that there is a bucket that is filled with water and the string is tied to the handle," he notes.

"It's quite simple really, you grab one end of the string with your arm and try to keep your bucket upright and stable. If your arms or legs tire out, the bucket will start to tip over, and you will get drenched from head to toe with your failings," the host continues, "The last person who remains standing wins immunity and is guaranteed a spot in the final five. Losers go to tribal council, where after twenty-one days, one of you will become the ninth person voted out of this game. And after making it two thirds of the way through this, I'm sure nobody wants to cut their journey short tonight."

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and claps his hands twice. "Alright, we'll draw for spots and then we'll get started."

Fifteen minutes later, all six of the survivors are situated at their assigned stations as the host paces past each of them individually. "Alright, for immunity…Survivors ready? Go!" the host exclaims, throwing his arm down.

All six of the survivors stand in silence, holding their arms straight up towards the sky. "Man," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, walking past them, "We're only fifteen seconds into this challenge and it is already super intense here," he notes, "You all must really want this," he says, pointing at the immunity necklace.

Five minutes later, all of the survivors are still standing at their stations, holding their arms up. Jenny groans and does a few shoulder rolls. "Oh man," she states, rubbing her back with her free hand.

"What's the matter, Jenny?" the host asks.

"Most of these people are several years younger than me, so I don't exactly have the spring chicken advantage in this challenge," Jenny confesses, briefly gazing at the competition.

"Ugh, who wants to be chicken?" Loki speaks up, "Chicken is the lowest quality of meat known to sims."

"What about human?" Pascal chimes in.

Loki narrows his eyes at him. "Now _you_ shut up." Pascal leans back towards his pole and smiles.

Twenty minutes later, everyone is still in the running for immunity. The Unsavory Charlatan has gotten so bored that he is now sitting down on a nearby log.

Lazlo yawns as he starts to drift off a bit, his hand falling. Lazlo shrieks as he is hit with the bucket of water. "Damn it!" he curses, letting go of the string and taking a seat on the sit out bench near the host.

"And just like that, we are down to five!" the Unsavory Charlatan calls out, "This is still anybody's challenge…well, except for Lazlo," he notes.

The Unsavory Charlatan stands up and paces over to the other survivors. "Now that we're far enough into the challenge, it's time for me to reveal the advantage that Nervous won earlier. Nervous, since you won the reward yesterday, you get fifteen additional minutes added to your score," he explains, "That means, if you fall out of the challenge while there are still others participating, you will still have a chance to win. The other remaining competitors would just have to fall fifteen minutes or less after you," the host states, "So if Nervous falls at an hour and fifteen minutes, you must last at least an hour and a half to beat him in this challenge," he tells the others, "Does that make sense?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks them.

Nervous nods, "Yes."

"Yeah," Pascal says.

"Whatever," Loki turns to the side.

"Great!" the host beams, "Now let's keep this thing going!"

Twenty-five minutes later, the immunity challenge is still going on. Pascal groans as he starts to move his body a bit. He picks his foot up and slowly sets it back into the dirt. "Geez, the temperature here is almost as hot as me!" he states.

"Eugh…" Loki groans, his head slouched towards the ground, "I'm too tired to even refute that comment."

"Eek!" Jenny screams as her bucket tips over and covers her with water. She lets go of the string and moves her hands through her now-drenched blonde hair. "Oh my gosh, that was so refreshing!" she awes.

Nervous leans back a bit, his arm following suit above him. "Oh no!" he says, watching as the bucket tilts over above him. The test subject is hit with a large blast of water. "Man, you weren't kidding about it being refreshing!" he exclaims, letting go of the string and taking a seat next to Jenny.

"And just like that, Jenny and Nervous are out," the Unsavory Charlatan announces to the three remaining contestants, "Nervous was eliminated fifty-three minutes into this challenge, so someone must last an hour and eight minutes to take home the necklace."

Ten minutes later, the three remaining survivors are still standing in place. The Unsavory Charlatan smiles as he starts pacing in front of them once more. "One hour and three minutes into this challenge and we are down to three," the host notes, "We have Loki, the geeky scientist-kissing professional villain, we have Crystal – the business executive who is dating a weirdo and has been strangely silent this whole challenge, and we have Pascal," the host states, his face dropping when he says his name, "Who is just – well, you know."

"Oh, we know," Loki speaks up, giving Pascal a glare. Loki groans as he slowly stretches his arm up, his legs burning in pain. "Hey girly, you drop out now and I'll make you a deal."

"Excuse me?" Crystal finally speaks up, "I'm not taking a dive!"

Loki shrugs. "I don't know, I'd think about it if I were you. This might be a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"You didn't even tell her what the deal was- _shit_!" Pascal shouts, letting up a bit, the water crashing down on him. "Well, I'm out," he states with a sigh, setting the bucket down and taking a seat on the bench next to his brother.

The Unsavory Charlatan looks up from his watch and smiles. "We have now reached one hour and nine minutes, which means that whichever one of you lasts the longest will win immunity," he tells Loki and Crystal.

Loki nods, his attention still on his competitor. "Come on Crystal, you don't even need this. No one's getting rid of you," Loki tells the townie.

"As soon as you start thinking things like that in this game, you're gone," Crystal says, placing her hand up against her aching back.

Twenty minutes later, both Loki and Crystal are still standing. The Unsavory Charlatan now standing between the pair. "We are almost an hour and a half into this challenge and both of you look like you are about to croak," he notes, both of the contestants appearing very fatigued and sweaty. "Last immunity challenge it came down to the two of you and this time is no different," he says, "No matter what happens, one thing is for sure: You two are both tough competitors."

"Oww!" Crystal shrieks, gazing down a bit at the discolored spot that has appeared on her leg. "I think something stung me!" she says, rubbing her leg a bit.

Loki laughs. "Give it up, Crystal! Even nature is telling you that you can't win!"

"Hey, knock it off, Loki!" Lazlo shouts, sitting up from his seat on the sidelines. "Quit giving her a hard time!"

Loki cocks his head, unable to believe what he was hearing. "What?"

"You heard me, quit putting down my girlfriend!" Lazlo shouts back. Nearby, Crystal is speechless.

"Look Curious, I don't know who the hell you think you are but-" Loki steps forward, causing his bucket to tip over; water falls on top of him. "Damn it!"

"And with that, Crystal wins immunity!" The Unsavory Charlatan announces, throwing his hands up in his victory pose.

"Really?" Crystal speaks up, her face beaming, "Woohoo! I never win anything!" she shouts, turning to Nervous and flashing him a smirk. Crystal tosses her string down and throws her hands up, the water from the bucket drenching her from head to toe. She cheers once more and grabs Lazlo, kissing him on the side of his face before pulling him into a hug. Behind them, Nervous's stomach drops.

Two minutes later, everyone is gathered near the pedestal. "Crystal, come on over!" the Unsavory Charlatan states, grabbing the immunity necklace and strapping it around the young woman. He gives her a pat on the back, "And with that, Crystal is safe from tonight's vote," he announces, "As for the rest of you, return to that side of your campsite, and I will see you tomorrow at tribal council, where one of you will become the ninth person voted out of this game," the host tells them, "I will give you a day to decide. Whatever you do, please use it wisely."

 _Day 21_

The sun slowly rises, seeping gently into the shelter where all six of the remaining survivors lie. Among them, Loki is wide awake, gazing up at the structure's bamboo ceiling. He turns over on his side and lets out a long, defeated sigh.

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

This is it, day twenty-one. I've survived an illness, crappy lobster, and my wife, but I know the chances of me surviving past tonight are slim to none. I could sit here and do nothing, but what good would that do? I figure if this is my last day here, I may well go out with a bang. Go big or go home, right? Cause I've got nothing left to lose. After all, I'm screwed – maybe even for real this time. And if I'm getting screwed tonight, then this is my last chance to get revenge. And if that's the case, I may as well take it! _(shrugs)_

…

Loki scans the area as he moves forward in the shelter, stopping when he's inches away from one of his teammates. Loki takes a deep breath before slowly moving his arm forward, hesitantly tapping the young woman's back. " _Crystal…Crystal!_ " Loki whispers loudly.

Crystal groans as she starts to stir. She slowly opens her eyes and turns around, Loki continuously tapping her. "What? Whoa! What the-?" Loki shushes her, immediately cupping his hand over her mouth.

"Careful – we don't want anyone to hear us," Loki tells her, "Now come on, I need to talk to you about something. If you agree, don't bite my hand." Crystal scrunches her eyebrows, giving Loki a puzzled look. "-Perfect. Let's go," Loki says, leading her out of the shelter.

Crystal groans as Loki leads her into the woods, letting go of her hand once they arrive there. "Why do I keep getting into these weird situations?" Crystal asks herself.

"-Because you are constantly surrounded by weirdos," Loki answers, frantically checking the area for unwanted visitors. Finding none, Loki turns back to her and brings his hands together. "Okay. Crystal, I know we haven't gotten along before at all in any way, shape, or form, and you're really not my type, but I need your help."

Crystal crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. "Wow, you really don't know how to talk to women."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Please! I could charm the pants off of you if I wanted to," he states. "After all, Loki Beaker gets _everything_ that he wants," he tells her.

"Man, you must be a disappointment in the sack," Crystal retorts, shaking her head.

"Psh, you'll never know," Loki waves it off, "Now what we were talking about before we started out-sassing each other? Oh right, the plan," he recalls, turning back towards her, "As you know, Vidcund was heartlessly voted out by his brothers a few days ago and I, being his lover, want revenge," Loki says, "So will you help me or not?"

Crystal steps back, looking as she though she is seriously pondering this over. "Gee, I don't know," she begins, "That sounds kinda risky. And frankly, I think Vidcund could do a whole lot better than you," Crystal confesses, "I mean, no offense, but Vidcund is way nicer than you."

"Vidcund isn't nice," Loki speaks up, "He shoves you if you look at his house through a telescope during the day!" Loki replies, pausing when he notices Crystal giving him a strange look, "Well, you know, at least that's what I heard," he adds. "And if I had feelings, that last comment would've actually hurt."

"I'm sorry," Crystal states, giving a shrug, "It's just, you know, you're not exactly _pleasant_ to be around," she confesses.

Loki crosses his arms in a huff, "What the hell are you talking about?!" he snarls. Crystal raises an eyebrow at him as she places her hands on her hips. "Okay, fine," Loki says, "But I can't help it! I have no one to make fun of anymore with Vidcund gone, and there was so much material there!" he exclaims, "I mean, those stupid pants with that stupid jacket and shirt combo! What was he trying to do? Look like a toilet?"

"Look Loki, the truth is, I don't really like you," Crystal says, giving a small sigh, "Especially since you were pretty mean to me this past week."

"Oh, is that what this is about?" Loki speaks up, "Okay, okay. I apologize for all that. Do you accept my half-assed apology?" he asks her.

Crystal crosses her arms, "No," she states flatly.

"Come on, I gave it my best shot!" Loki replies.

" _That_ was your best shot?"

Loki sighs as he watches Crystal start to move away from him. "Wait! Wait!" Loki calls out, holding his arm out to her, "Crystal, please, you have to help me. I can't lose to Pascal again!" he states, a tone of desperation in his voice. At this cry, Crystal turns around to face him. "We all know if Pascal makes it to the end, he wins. No one can beat him, so we have to get him out now."

Crystal walks forward, stopping a few paces away from Loki. She smirks as she crosses her arms in front of her torso. "Whoa. Look who finally woke up."

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

When I was in the first grade, I entered the science fair with a rechargeable wall clock, and I lost to Pascal Curious, who made a potato light. Then in eighth grade, I entered the science fair again. I made a model of the Andromeda Galaxy, and I lost to Pascal Curious once more, who made a dancing potato. Then two years ago, I was nominated for the Noble Prize in Physics. And who beat me? Then twenty-eight-year-old, unemployed Pascal Curious, who won for figuring out how to genetically mutate potatoes so that they could speak the Simlish language. I don't know what stung more: the fact that I lost to Pascal, or that his project wasn't even physics related! So yeah, this runs deeper than you know…and I _really_ hate potatoes.

…

"I want Pascal gone, and I need you to help me," Loki continues on, "I need you, Jenny, and Nervous to vote for Pascal with me tonight," Loki tells Crystal, "That's it. I don't want anything else. I just want to make things right. Now are you with me or not?"

Crystal looks down at the dirt, carefully thinking this proposition over. After a few minutes, Crystal looks back up at Loki and smiles. "Alright, deal," she says, shaking his hand.

"Perfect!" Loki exclaims, "Thanks girly."

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Wow. Loki has such a great plan. It would be a shame if someone were to… _ruin it. (flashes the camera a devious smile)_ – I can't have Loki one-upping me, I'd like to take Pascal out myself. But no matter which way this thing goes tonight, I can't lose. Either Pascal or Loki goes home, cause I have immunity. They're both dangerous, because they're playing at my level. And what do you do when someone starts matching you? You chop them. And the best part is…neither one of them will know I'm doing it. Let's just say tonight, it's all up to Lazlo.

 _Later that Afternoon_

"Lazlo, I'm not going to lie," Crystal states, walking to the water well with her boyfriend. Both of them are carrying one of the empty blue water jugs in their hands. "I didn't just take you out here to get water."

"You didn't?" Lazlo says, stopping in front of the water well, "Then what did you take me out here for?" he wonders.

Crystal stands in front of him and sighs, bringing her hands together. "Lazlo, we're getting rid of Pascal tonight."

"What?!" Lazlo cries, placing his hand on his chest, "Who?" he squeaks, "Who's getting rid of Pascal?"

"-Everyone," she answers, "It was Loki's idea."

Lazlo steps back, unable to believe what he is hearing. "Loki?" Lazlo repeats, "But he told Pascal he was voting with us."

"Well, he lied," Crystal confesses, "He approached me this morning and told me he wants your brother gone," she states.

"And you're going along with it?" Lazlo says, his face filled with shock. "Why?"

"Lazlo, it's a game," Crystal replies, "And Pascal is clearly the biggest threat here. None of us stand a chance against him if he makes it to the finals."

Lazlo shakes his head. "Crystal, we don't even know if that's true-" he begins.

"Look, do you want to win or not?" Crystal speaks up suddenly, "Because if you want to win, then you have to get rid of Pascal, and that's a fact," she adds, filling up her canteen and exiting off the lot.

Lazlo stands there alone in the woods, dozens of thoughts racing through his mind.

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

What am I going to do? Three days have passed, and I find myself faced with the same decision once more: Am I playing for my brother or am I playing for myself?

 _Fifteen Minutes Later_

Pascal and Lazlo are wandering in the woods, collecting firewood for the tribe. Pascal sighs as he takes a breath of fresh air, throwing his arms out as Lazlo stops in front of him. "You know, potatoes actually have more chromosomes than humans do," Pascal tells him, "Isn't that something?" he asks.

"Pascal, everyone's voting you off tonight," Lazlo blurts out suddenly.

Pascal stops in his tracks. "What?" he throws his arms down.

"Crystal, Jenny, Nervous, and Loki are voting you off tonight," Lazlo elaborates, "And Loki's leading the entire thing. Crystal told me a few minutes ago, and I had to tell you because I don't want you to be blindsided like Vid was," Lazlo spews out, pacing in front of his brother, "And I'm sorry, I tried to change their minds, but they didn't listen, and now there's nothing we can do!"

"I see," Pascal states, surprisingly calm, "Lazlo, we can pull this off," he says, putting a hand on Lazlo's shoulder; stopping him in place, "I just need you to vote with me."

"Okay," Lazlo says immediately, "Who are we voting for?"

Pascal looks up at Lazlo and smiles; tearing up at his brother's loyalty.

 _Tribal Council_

All six survivors walk into the tribal council area and set their torches and belongings down before taking their seats in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks to them and smiles, "We will now bring in the members of our jury," he announces, "Pollination Tech #9, Circe, and Vidcund, who was voted out at the last tribal council," he states as all three of the sims take their respective seats on the wooden bleachers. Vidcund gives Pascal a cold death glare.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together, turning to the survivors. "Well, this has been an exciting last couple of days," he begins, "We're approaching the end of this journey, and I am sure a lot of you are feeling uneasy about tonight. Loki, how are you feeling? Are you nervous about tonight's vote? Do you think it might be you who goes home?" the hosts asks.

"Yeah, absolutely," Loki answers honestly, "It would be stupid of me not to think that. I've been to tribal council six times now, and at least three of those times I almost got voted off."

"I see," the Unsavory Charlatan responds, before turning to another teammate, "So Jenny, all of you guys have now spent a decent amount of time with each other. Do you think there is anyone here that is a clear frontrunner for the million?" he wonders, "Or is everyone pretty much even in your eyes?"

"Yes, Pascal is definitely the frontrunner," Jenny answers, turning towards her brother, "After what happened last tribal council, I don't see how anyone could say that he's not," she states.

"I wouldn't say that Pascal is _definitely_ the frontrunner," Crystal speaks up, "I mean, he showed that he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he's in charge," she argues, "Or that the jury is going to respect his gameplay."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, "So you're saying that maybe Pascal isn't the number one threat on the tribe right now?"

"Not exactly. All I'm saying is, when picking a threat, there's a lot of other things to consider," Crystal clarifies.

"Alright," the host nods, clasping his hands together once more. "So, it's been twenty-one days out here, has there been any talk about idols?" he wonders, "Do they exist? And if so, why haven't we seen one yet? Lazlo, what do you think?" he asks.

Lazlo shrugs. "Well, personally, I don't think they exist. If they did, we probably would've seen one by now," he says, "Especially with all of the close-calls that we've had at tribal."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, "Interesting theory," he states, before turning to another contestant, "Pascal, you surprisingly haven't said anything yet. If it's you tonight, what advice would you give the others?"

"Well, I would say to them that they only have nine days left on this journey," Pascal begins, "So if they have something that they want to say or do, they should go for it before it's too late," he advises.

Behind him, Nervous's eyes trail down to the floor as his legs start to shake. "Hey, are you okay?" Crystal whispers next to him, a troubled look on her friend's face.

Nervous weakly nods. "Yeah," he states, a ball of guilt forming in the pit of his stomach.

"And with that, it is once again time to vote," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up pointing to the castaway on the right, "Jenny, you're up first."

Jenny nods and walks up to the voting station. One by one all the survivors walk up to the voting station and cast their votes until only three remain. Loki approaches the voting station and writes Pascal's name down in gigantic black letters. He holds his vote up to the camera. "Pascal, you are one terrifyingly stupid dude, and I don't want you going any further in this game. You stabbed me in the back last week, and now I'm just returning the favor. Good luck buddy-boy, you'll need it."

Loki folds his vote in half and places it into the voting box. Once he takes his seat, Crystal stands up and makes her way over to the voting station. She sighs as she approaches the table and writes down Pascal's name on the piece of parchment. She holds it up to the camera, a sorrowful look on her face. "I'm sorry, but I just can't risk losing to you in the finals," she states, "You're a great guy, Pascal. I hope we can still be friends."

Crystal casts her vote and takes her seat. Finally, Pascal stands up and make his way over to the voting station. He picks up the pen and writes the person's name down. Pascal holds his vote up to the camera and smirks, "Checkmate." Pascal then folds up his vote and places it in the voting box.

Pascal walks back to the others and takes his seat down next to Lazlo; the mad scientist's expression unreadable. "I'll go get the votes," the Unsavory Charlatan states, walking over to the voting station to retrieve the box.

He returns a short while later and sets the voting box on the podium, gently placing his hand on the lid. "If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and they would like to play it, now would be the time to do so," the Unsavory Charlatan says.

"Funny you should say that, Chet," Pascal says, everyone immediately turning to him in shock as he stands up from his seat. "-Cause I happen to have one of those right here," he states, reaching into his trunks.

" _No,"_ Crystal whisper-shouts behind him.

"Holy shit," Circe speaks up from the jury.

" _I told you,"_ Jenny mouths to her alliance.

Pascal walks over to the Unsavory Charlatan, still digging around in his pants for the idol. Nearby, many of his teammates are still struck with shock. "Why did you put it in your pants?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks him.

"-Because no one would ever look there," Pascal replies, as if it were obvious.

"He's right," Loki moans matter-of-factly, "No one would."

"Wait, I almost got it!" Pascal states, still searching in his trunks for the idol. Behind him, Lazlo is laughing into his hand while Vidcund is covering his face in embarrassment. "Ah, here it is!" he chimes, grabbing a hold of the idol and pulling it out of his pants. He holds it out to the Unsavory Charlatan.

"Uh…I'll take your word for it," the host states, cringing at the sight of it. "Just toss it into the fire there, and for God's sake, everyone, please hold your noses!" he instructs.

"Hey, you're the host," Pascal shrugs and tosses the idol into the fire, everyone plugging their noses when he does so.

After the air clears, the Unsavory Charlatan claps his hands together. "Since that was in fact a hidden immunity idol, any votes cast against this lunatic here-" he gestures to the eldest Curious brother, "-Will not count and the person with the next highest number of votes will be eliminated," the host explains as Pascal takes his seat down next to Lazlo, "I'll read the votes."

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box and retrieves the first piece of parchment. "First vote – Pascal, does not count," the host announces, turning the piece of parchment over, "Second vote – Pascal, also does not count," the Unsavory Charlatan states, stopping to glance at the survivors, "So far, we have no votes," he explains, before reaching into the voting box and retrieving the next piece of parchment.

"Third vote – Pascal, does not count," the host says, turning the third vote over. He grabs the fourth piece of parchment and turns it over. "Fourth vote – Pascal, does not count," he explains. "Once again, we don't have any votes."

Lazlo flashes Pascal an excited look as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box for the fifth time that night. "Fifth vote – Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan states, revealing Loki's name written in Pascal's handwriting.

"Here's where we stand: We have one vote for Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the survivors, "If this last vote is for either Loki or Pascal, then Loki is voted out, if not, then it will force a tie and we will have to do a tiebreaker for the first time in this game," he explains, giving a small sigh as he reaches into the voting box for the final time that day, "I'll read the vote," he states.

The Unsavory Charlatan unfolds the final vote, looking it over. "Ninth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and fourth member of our jury is…Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan says, revealing the final vote to the crowd. "Loki, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Loki nods and stands up, grabbing a hold of his torch. He passes by Pascal on his way to the exit. "Well played," he states.

Pascal gives a firm nod, not saying a word. Across the room, Circe is shaking Pollination Tech #9 by the shoulders in excitement, while Vidcund has his head down.

Loki sighs as he places his torch in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks at him and shakes his head.

"Loki Beaker, the Curious brothers have spoken," he announces, snuffing out his torch in one swift motion, "It's time for you to go."

Loki nods and turns to the others, giving a rather large wave. "Good luck, people. Thanks for the chaos!" he smirks, before turning around and exiting through the archway.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods and turns back to the five remaining contestants. "And then there were five, and after a tribal council like this, I can't wait to see what happens next," he concludes, clasping his hands behind his back, "Grab your things and head back to camp. Good night."

The five remaining survivors grab their belongings and exit the tribal council area, walking into the night.

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Closing Words_

Oh my gosh. I can't believe it. That was one hell of a journey! That was definitely not the way I thought things would go tonight, that's for sure, but I gave it all that I had, so at least I can leave knowing that I tried my best. Pascal, you're just insane and you're playing with more deviance than I was, so I'm not sure what to think of you at this point. And Crystal, you are something else. I'm not sure whether to applaud you or dismiss you as a nutcase. And who the hell knows what Lazlo is even doing! But there's still plenty of game left, so it'll be interesting to see who ends up surviving this monstrosity. And now I can spend all this time with Vidcund, so in your face, Pascal!

 _Next time on Survivor…_

Pascal throws his hands up in celebration, "It's the final five, baby!"

… _It's the final five, and everything is coming out…_

Nervous is standing in the woods in front of Crystal; his legs shaking. "I'm in love with you," he states.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Well, this just screwed everything up!

… _Can the survivors pull it together before it's too late…?_

"I want to ditch my teammates," Jenny tells her brothers, "It's time to shake things up!" she smirks into the camera.

… _All that and more, next time!_


	8. Episode 8: The Lying Game

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Eight –** _The Lying Game_

All five of the remaining survivors walk back onto their campsite and start putting away their belongings. "Wow. What an exciting tribal," Crystal speaks up, taking a seat inside of the shelter.

"I'll say!" Lazlo replies, turning towards his brother, "How long did you have the idol?"

"A couple weeks," Pascal smiles, "But come on, you knew we couldn't keep Loki. He tried to stab us in the back!"

Behind Pascal, Jenny is watching her brother carefully.

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Field Researcher/Mother of Two_

Tonight Pascal pulled a fast one on everyone and got rid of Loki. As far as I'm concerned, that just gave him one more reason to win. If I want any chance at the money, I need to get him out as soon as humanly possible.

 _Day 22_

The sun rises above the horizon, gently lighting up the shelter, where all five of the survivors are surprisingly up for the day. Nervous is sitting near the campfire conversing with the two remaining Curious brothers.

"Believe me," Nervous continues, "You have no idea how relieved I was when I found out Loki and Circe weren't my parents," he tells them.

Pascal scrunches his forehead. "Wait, aren't you older than them?"

"What's your point?" Nervous asks. Behind him, Pascal watches Crystal wander into the woods, noticing his sister, Jenny, sneaking after her.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Woohoo! It's the final five, baby! _(throws his arms up)_ We only have nine days left until this whole thing is over! This is great, but unfortunately, we're getting so close to the end now that people are getting paranoid. Like I said, there's only nine days left until the jury votes for a winner, and we're in the most crucial part of this game right now. In Survivor, it's all about collective gameplay, and if you don't have a strong finish, you're never going to win this thing.

…

"Hmm," Pascal begins, bringing his hand up to his chin ponderously. "I know! Is it the dew that you find growing on your test tube one night after you left it out in the sun for three days?" he guesses.

"Yep!" Lazlo nods, giving his brother a high-five. Next to him, Nervous has a puzzled look on his face, after having witnessed this rather bizarre round of twenty questions.

"How did you know that?" Nervous wonders, turning towards Pascal.

Pascal smiles and waves it off. "Please! I can read Lazlo like a book! Right Lazlo?" Pascal asks his brother.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Lazlo nods, the enthusiasm on his face draining a bit when Pascal turns away from him. Lazlo sighs, _"I'm so predictable,"_ he mutters to himself.

 _Reward Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, gesturing all five remaining survivors towards the center of the beach. The castaways step onto the bright yellow tribal mat and gaze up at the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together. "Well, we've reached another important milestone on your Survivor journeys, and today we're going to celebrate-"

"Wait, let me guess," Pascal speaks up, "Today we're going to do something stupid again that's probably going to get us in a lot of trouble, which will probably lead to a boatload of lawsuits, and then I'll never be able to buy puffy peppermints again?!"

"Uh…not exactly," the Unsavory Charlatan states, quickly taking a step back from the eldest Curious brother, "But, like most of the challenges that we've had on this show, this one comes with a twist. Come on in, Grim!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, turning towards the left side of the beach. The Grim Reaper emerges from the woods and floats over to the host, stopping in front of the survivors.

"As many of you can recall, Death was a contestant on this show earlier this season," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds them, "And he was kind of disappointed that he had to prematurely leave the show," the host states, "So he volunteered to help me plan this particular challenge for you guys."

Crystal sighs. "Please tell me we are not going to be killing people today."

"Come on Crystal," the Grim Reaper says, "You know that's not the only thing I can do."

"He's right," the Unsavory Charlatan confirms, "So, here's how today's reward challenge is going to work: When I say go, each of you will race out into the water and retrieve a bucket with your name on it. You will then fill the bucket with water and race back to the beach," the host continues, "You will then use the water in your bucket to help you build a sandcastle. Whoever's sandcastle reaches the six-foot-tall mark first, as determined by the colored stick that I placed near each of your sand piles, wins reward. Do you want to know what you're playing for?"

Lazlo shrugs. "I guess."

"The winner of this reward challenge will enjoy their own picnic lunch on the other side of the beach," the Unsavory Charlatan explains, "And I am sure that many of you could use some real food before your next immunity challenge," he says, before clasping his hands together once more, "But, you know, as much fun as a sandcastle building competition sounds, it seems rather difficult to do by yourselves," he begins.

"Uh oh. I don't think I like where he's going with this," Pascal mutters to his brother.

"So, how about I give each of you some help?" the Unsavory Charlatan suggests. He steps backward a few steps and turns towards the left side of the beach again. "I am assigning each one of you a partner. Jenny, here's your mother, Kitty!"

"Wait, what?!" Jenny squeaks, turning towards the woods. A long gray haired woman steps out from the trees and gives a small wave.

"Hi kids!" Kitty greets to the shocked crowd, before stopping next to the Unsavory Charlatan. The host smiles and shakes her hand.

"Kitty, nice to meet you," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "You know, it's such a thrill to shake the hand of the person who was partly responsible for that," the host gestures to Pascal. The Unsavory Charlatan lowers his voice and shakes his head in pity. "I'm so sorry," he states.

Next to him, Kitty is gazing around the beach, her attentions elsewhere. "The what now?" she states. Kitty's face lights up when she sees a brown furry object poking out of the sand. "Ooh! A coconut!" Kitty beams, picking it up and rubbing it against her face.

The Unsavory Charlatan slaps his face in frustration. "I should've known," he groans. The host gently shakes his head a few times, before turning back towards the remaining survivors. "Anyway, we might as well make this challenge even weirder, so Pascal, here's your dad."

Glarn Curious walks onto the lot, a strange look spread across his face. He stops near the Unsavory Charlatan and narrows his eyes at the survivors. "Hey, this isn't Dairy Queen, you lied to me!" he claims, poking the Unsavory Charlatan in the shoulder. Glarn scans the crowd of survivors; all of them are staring at him intently. "What is this? Some kind of family intervention? Oh God, did you guys find out about my third family?" he squeaks, "I can explain! You see, it all started when I tried to genetically engineer a team of radioactive, super-intelligent possums-"

"-Okay, yeah that's…actually, I don't even know what to say to that," the host says, giving his aching head a shake, "Man, this is an even bigger mess than I thought it would be, and I thought this would be pretty catastrophic," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, gesturing Glarn over to Pascal.

"Alright," the host sighs, "Now here's someone a little more normal for the most normal contestant on the beach," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning towards the townie. "Crystal, since you don't actually have any parents, here's your friend, Charlie – a.k.a. Mr. Big!" the host announces, gesturing over to the high-class sim who is walking out of the woods.

"Hello good people!" Charlie greets, stopping a few feet from the shoreline. "Eww!" he shudders, "I am _not_ touching that!" he groans, pointing down at the sand.

The Unsavory Charlatan facepalms once again. "This is really turning out to be a horrible, horrible idea," the host moans. "Now, obviously Nervous's partner is going to be Death, so that just leaves Lazlo-" he begins.

Lazlo steps forward, confusion on his face. "But wait, who do you have for me?" he asks, "Both of my parents are already here."

"You're right, so here's Loki's dad!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as an elderly man walks onto the beach. "I didn't prepare for three Curiouses, cause honestly, I thought Pascal would be long gone by now," he mutters to the survivors.

"You got that right!" Pascal chimes nearby.

Bjorn, Loki's father, stops in front of the host and gives the contestants a gigantic wave. "Greetings everyone! I love you all!" he beams, a large, overly enthusiastic smile on his face. "Now who's ready to make some friends?"

"Okay, I have a lot of questions here," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, unable to mask the shocked expression that has formed on his face, "Are you really Loki's dad? And if you are, where did all his hatred come from?"

Bjorn laughs, waving his hand in front of his torso. "Please! Loki's not mean; he's a big softy!" he chimes.

"Uh…are you sure we're talking about the same guy here?" Pascal wonders.

Bjorn nods, "Yes! Now who wants a hug?" Bjorn moves forward, opening his arms up as he walks towards the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan slowly steps away from him. "And with that, I think it's time for everyone to take their places. Line up towards the shore, people, the challenge is about to begin!"

A few minutes later, all five of the survivors are lined up along the shoreline, their loved ones standing further up on the beach near their assigned sand piles. The Unsavory Charlatan is standing off to the side of the beach, between the survivors and their loved ones.

"Alright, for reward, survivors ready? Go!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, throwing his arm down.

The survivors all race into the ocean and swim towards their buckets. "And they're off!" the Unsavory Charlatan narrates, "Crystal takes the early lead, but Nervous is right behind her!"

Crystal holds her breath as she dives underwater, untying the bucket from the bottom of the ocean. Crystal heaves her head up above the water; Nervous comes up with his bucket as well.

"Crystal and Nervous are neck-in-neck, but here comes Jenny and Pascal!" the hosts narrates some more. Pascal and Jenny dive down to retrieve their buckets as Crystal and Nervous swim back towards the shore, passing by Lazlo on their way to the shoreline. "And then there's Lazlo who's about halfway there!"

"I can't swim that well!" Lazlo confesses, reaching his bucket marker. All four of the other survivors are now heading towards the shore.

Crystal reaches the beach and races over to her sand pile, Nervous following right behind her. "Crystal is back, get started on your castle!" the Unsavory Charlatan instructs her, "Pascal and Jenny are now out of the water, Jenny was really showing great improvement in her swimming skills."

"Thanks," Jenny smiles, handing her full bucket to her mother.

"We now have four people constructing sandcastles," the Unsavory Charlatan nods, pacing in front of the stations.

"Good job, Mom," Jenny says, watching as her mother pours some more water onto their two-foot-tall sandcastle, "This is coming along nicely." Kitty nods, her smile fading when she looks out towards the ocean.

Lazlo groans as he grabs on to his bucket marker. He stops, trying desperately to catch his breath.

"Right now, Lazlo is struggling," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, "Will he make it back?"

"I can't! There's too much water pressure!" Lazlo cries out as many of the survivors stop what they are doing in concern.

"DON'T WORRY SWEETHEART, MOMMY'S COMING!" Kitty shouts from the beach. She nudges Bjorn in the side, "Do you mind helping Jenny for a minute while I go get him?" Bjorn shakes his head, "Great!" Kitty runs towards the shoreline, throwing her shoes off before diving into the ocean.

"And there goes Kitty," the Unsavory Charlatan narrates, his hands placed firmly on his hips, "Man, that woman can swim!"

Kitty reaches Lazlo and wraps her arms around him. "It's okay, Mommy's got you."

"Thanks Mom," Lazlo states, giving a small smile, "But I still have to get the-" Lazlo looks up, noticing that his mother has already dived into the water. She heaves herself up and heads him the bucket. "-Oh. Thanks."

Kitty nods. "Come on, let's get back on land."

"Well, Lazlo's back in this challenge now that his mother saved him," the Unsavory Charlatan notes as the pair walk back onto the shore, "-Which will definitely up his coolness factor by a million points," the host states, "But this challenge is still anybody's game, so everybody keep working!"

Nearby, Glarn is smoothing down the side of his and Pascal's sandcastle. "This sand is very sensual," he states.

Pascal stares at his father strangely for a moment, before turning to Nervous to comment. "Okay, this is too weird, even for me."

Kitty taps Bjorn on the shoulder and returns to Jenny's sand pile. Next to her, Bjorn and Lazlo are just getting started on their sandcastle.

"Eww! I think I touched it!" Charlie moans, pulling his sleeves up over his hands and moving away from the sand pile. Crystal sighs as she continues to work on her castle.

"Alright guys, this challenge has been taking a lot more time than expected, so I am only going to give you five more minutes to complete this thing," the Unsavory Charlatan states, clasping his hands behind his back as he paces by each of the stations, "Whichever team has the tallest castle by the end of these five minutes wins the challenge!" he states.

Lazlo sighs as he looks across the beach at the competition. "It's no use," he tells Bjorn, as he glances down at their small, one-foot-tall castle, "We'll never catch up now!"

"Heh, I wouldn't worry about that if I were you," Bjorn states, calmly. He quietly gets up from the sand and grabs the Grim Reaper's scythe. He throws it forward, knocking all of the other castles down in one swift motion.

"Hey! What the-?" the Grim Reaper shouts as sand knocks onto his cloak.

Next to him, Pascal is shaking his head. "Ah…so that's where Loki gets it!" he states.

"The five minutes are up, which means Lazlo wins reward!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, throwing his hands up in celebration.

"But that's not fair, Loki's dad cheated!" Jenny chimes in, dusting off her clothes.

"Now, now Jenny, I never said you couldn't knock other people's sandcastles over with a stolen scythe," the host reminds her, "So this is totally valid," the Unsavory Charlatan says, walking over to the youngest Curious brother, "Now Lazlo, since you won, you get to select one other survivor and their loved one to go with you. So, who is it going to be?"

"-Pascal," Lazlo states.

"Man, you didn't even have to think about that one," the Unsavory Charlatan replies, "Tell you what, since I'm afraid you might sue us cause none of our crew members bothered to save you, I'll let you pick one more pair to go with you on this picnic."

Lazlo nods and brings his hand up towards his chin, looking between Jenny and Crystal.

Crystal smiles and tilts her forehead. "Take your mom," she states.

Lazlo smiles at his girlfriend. "Okay. I'll take Jenny as my last pick."

"Alright then," the Unsavory Charlatan states, "The Curious family is going on this picnic. Also, Loki's dad seems to have disappeared," the host notes, gazing around the Bjorn-less area. The Unsavory Charlatan's gaze stops at the Grim Reaper who is now whistling nonchalantly; the host narrows his eyes at Death.

"What?" the Grim Reaper states, giving his shoulders a shrug.

The host rolls his eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, Crystal and Nervous, I have nothing for you. Head back to camp and I will see you two at the next immunity challenge," Crystal and Nervous nod and briefly wave goodbye to the others before exiting the beach. The host smiles and clasps his hands together, "As for the rest of you, let's head this way and I will take you to your picnic. Enjoy the afternoon off!"

 _Later that Afternoon_

Crystal and Nervous walk back onto the campsite, their morale low after the reward challenge. Crystal sighs, "Well, it sucks that we didn't win, but who knows? Maybe this'll turn out to be a good thing," she says to her teammate.

"Maybe," Nervous says, "Or maybe the three of them will align with each other."

"Come on Nervous, you know Jenny would never do that," Crystal assures him, "The three of us are in a very good spot right now, we just have to make sure that it stays this way," she continues, wandering towards the woods, "That's why we should probably go idol searching."

Twenty minutes later, Crystal and Nervous are lying down in the woods completely exhausted, their hands covered in dirt. "Well, if there is another idol, they did a good job hiding it," Crystal groans, wiping her hands on her shorts, "So I think we're good for now."

"Yeah," Nervous speaks, clearly out of breath. The pair lies down for a moment, neither of them saying a word, as Nervous begins fidgeting his hands. Finally, Nervous turns over and faces his teammate, his hands shaking. "Hey Crystal?" Nervous begins. "I gotta tell you something-"

"Okay," Crystal replies, unsure of the fearful tone that is filling her friend's voice. "What's up?" she asks, moving forward slightly.

"I uh..." Nervous wonders off, turning away for a bit to collect himself, "I'm in love with you."

Crystal immediately sits up. "What?!" she squeaks.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Well this just screwed everything up!

 _Meanwhile – Across the Island_

Jenny, Pascal, Lazlo, and their parents arrive at the small picnic lunch that is set up on a bright blue mat beside the ocean shoreline. "Oh my gosh, actual food!" Lazlo chimes, grabbing an orange from the basket, "I haven't seen this in a while!"

"And I haven't seen napkins!" Pascal says, grabbing a napkin from the basket. Pascal holds it up in front of himself and shakes his head, "What a waste of an item!"

"So, what have you guys been up to since we've last seen you?" Glarn asks, once everyone has been situated.

Jenny smiles. "Well I got married to PT and had two beautiful children," she tells her parents as Pascal stuffs a roll into his mouth.

"Jenny, that's wonderful!" Kitty beams, "Pascal, what about you?"

"Can't talk now, I'm eating!" Pascal grunts between chews, he stuffs a whole tomato into his mouth, "Ask this one!" Pascal nudges Lazlo in the side.

"Oh uh, I got my PhD in Phrenology," Lazlo tells his parents, "And then I started dating Crystal. Pascal, Vidcund, and I all live together."

Glarn scrunches his forehead. "Really?" he says, "I would not have expected that. How is your brother doing anyway?" Glarn asks Pascal.

Pascal swallows the tomato bits. "Vidcund's doing great! He only yells twice a day now, he still wears white pants, and he's sleeping with Loki," Pascal says, giving a fake yawn and a stretch, "Also, I gave birth to a baby," he mutters quickly under his breath. Next to him, Jenny stands up from her seat.

Glarn and Kitty turn to each other, looks of pure horror forming on their faces. "Oh God!" Glarn cries, turning back towards Pascal, "He still wears those white pants? I should've burned those things when I had the chance!"

"And how!" Pascal awes, taking a swig of cranberry juice before turning to the side, noticing Jenny gesturing him over from across the beach. "Uh, I'll be right back," he states.

"Okay, what's up?" Pascal asks his sister, once they have successful snuck around the corner.

"Look, I know this is an incredible reward challenge and we're supposed to be spending time with mom and dad," Jenny begins, playing with her hands a bit, "But honestly, I can't stop thinking about the game," she confesses.

Pascal crosses his arms, clearly intrigued. "What about it?"

"Well, we're approaching the end and we're down to just the five of us, which means that each individual person has a lot more power," Jenny explains, "And I'm just worried that if we're not careful, we could get screwed in the long run."

"Okay," Pascal nods, "How so?"

"I've spent twenty-one days with Crystal and Nervous, and let me tell you, the way things are going, Crystal has two votes," Jenny tells her brother, "Nervous does everything she says, so they're basically one solid unit and I can't work with that," she states, "If it's the three of us in the final three, they're going to get rid of me. And they would get rid of you or Lazlo if either of you were in the final three with them as well," Jenny says, "That's why we need to split them up the first chance we get. Are you on board with this plan?"

Pascal rests his hand up against his forehead and lets out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, I'm on board," he responds, turning towards his youngest brother, who is still sitting on the beach with their parents, "I'm just not sure he is," Pascal states.

"Well, Lazlo might be unwilling to vote off Crystal, but I'm sure we could convince him to vote off Nervous," Jenny says, glancing over at her youngest brother, "So, what do you think?" she asks him.

Pascal smiles, "I think we have a plan."

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

As much as I would like to believe that Jenny is being genuine in what she tells me, I know that I am still the number one target on this beach, and Jenny's always known it. So like with any good competitor, I might have to play her, before I get played. And if it comes down to that, then that's what I'll do.

 _Later that Night_

Pascal, Lazlo, and Jenny walk back onto their campsite, both of their remaining teammates sitting up in the shelter when they see them. "Hey, how was it?" Crystal asks between yawns.

"It was fun," Pascal replies, taking a seat down next to her. All of a sudden the young scientist shivers, "Man, I'm getting kind of a weird vibe here," he states into the silence. Nervous flashes Crystal a terrified look.

"No, no weird vibe," Crystal speaks suddenly, trying her best to remain calm, "Maybe you just had too much to eat."

Jenny laughs. "Yeah, Pascal did practically eat the entire table!"

Nearby, Lazlo wanders towards the campfire, watching as his siblings laugh with one another. Lazlo crosses his arms and drifts his gaze to the sand.

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

I know I shouldn't be worried. I know I believe my brother, but seeing Pascal and Jenny go off and talk to each other without me this afternoon, almost made me think that maybe I'm not a factor in Pascal's game anymore. I mean, I know that's not true, but right I can't help but feel like I'm on the outs – and it absolutely sucks.

…

Pascal and Jenny are still conversing in the shelter while Crystal and Nervous watch on either side of them. Crystal and Nervous look to each other, neither of them saying a word. Nervous sighs and brings his knees up towards his chin, resting his head gently on his legs. He listens for a few more seconds before slowly getting up from out of the shelter and heading towards the empty woods.

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

I don't know why I did what I did. This time, maybe I shouldn't have told Crystal the truth. Things got super awkward after I told her that I love her – which is understandable, but this is definitely the most awkward thing that has ever happened to me, and I've witnessed some really awkward things in my life. I don't really want to get into specifics, but let's just say I know way more about Loki than a person would ever want to know. _(shudders)_

 _Day 23_

Crystal is up early the next morning wandering through the woods by herself. The young townie sighs and breathes in the fresh air around her, turning towards the camera when she sees it. "I don't get it. I just don't get it," she whispers to the camera, "First Vidcund hooked up with Circe, then Loki and Vidcund got together, and next Nervous confessed his feelings for me…doesn't anyone here actually want to play the game?" she wonders aloud, "I mean, what's going on with him? Nervous is acting like he's never been with a decent person before-oh wait. Huh," Crystal begins to ponder, "Maybe that's it," she says into the silence.

Crystal stands alone for a moment, staring out at the waterfall. She slowly exhales, taking the soothing scenery in around her, "It's so peaceful here, I don't think I've never felt this calm before-"

"HEY CRYSTAL!"

Crystal shrieks and abruptly towards around, accidentally knocking the person behind her square in the jaw.

"Oww!" Pascal moans, holding his hand up to his jaw in pain, "What was that for?!"

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were right behind me!" Crystal apologizes, moving towards Pascal, "Are you okay?" she asks, pulling Pascal's hand down and examining him more carefully, "You look fine."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Pascal says, giving his chin another rub, "You didn't get me that bad," he smiles.

Pascal pulls his hand down as the pair stare out at the waterfall. "Hey, why doesn't anyone here want to play the game?" Crystal states suddenly, her eyes not leaving the water.

Pascal sighs, "I don't know," he answers, "Looks you and I are the only ones."

Crystal turns to Pascal and smirks, giving a gentle, reassuring nod. "Yeah, looks like it."

 _Immunity Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, gesturing all five survivors towards the center of the woods. The survivors walk onto the bright yellow mat that is placed on the open area in front of the host; the entire area is surrounded by trees. "Hello and welcome to today's immunity challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan greets, turning towards the survivors, "First thing's first – Crystal, I gotta take it back," the host says, moving towards Crystal and grabbing the immunity necklace from her. He smiles and places the necklace back on the wooden pedestal. "And just like that, immunity is back up for grabs!"

"For today's challenge, I am going to tell all of you a story about an alternate universe. You will then race around the woods to locate six separate stations. At each of the stations, you will find a question about the story that I just read you, along with three possible answer choices," the Unsavory Charlatan explains, "Pick one of the answers, and reach into the appropriate answer box for the letter that you have selected. Inside each of the answer boxes is a small package, grab the package and race back to your individual station to unwrap it. If you answered the question correctly, you will unwrap a purple disc," the host tells them, "However, you answered the question incorrectly, the disc will be blue and you must return to the station and pick another answer choice."

"The first person to get all six purple discs from each of the different stations and hang them up on their station hook wins immunity and is guaranteed a spot in the final four. Losers go to tribal council where after twenty-four days one of you will become the tenth person voted out of this game," the Unsavory Charlatan informs the survivors, "And I'm sure no one wants that title."

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together. "Alright, so let's get started," he begins, pulling out a stack of notecards from his pocket, "This story is entitled, 'The Sims 2 PSP.' So, here we go," the Unsavory Charlatan says, giving a small sigh, "Once upon a time, there was a peaceful city named Strangetown. Not a lot of people knew this, but Strangetown was filled with many wackos and terrible secrets. For example, the town villain, Loki Beaker, had a habit of kidnapping people and using them as test subjects. In fact, his first guinea pig, Nervous Subject, died at the hands of Loki's most notorious invention, so he kidnapped the garbage man and hid him in his dungeon. Nervous' ghost soon became restless, which made his still-living girlfriend, Annie, very upset. While this was going on, Vidcund Curious started working with the Dudes in Black and kidnapped Pascal's son, Tycho, and gave him to the organization, so they would fund his secret project. Needless to say, Pascal was pissed. Lazlo developed a recipe for air-puffed turkey and claims to have contacted a lost civilization by making a device out of two pie tins and a roll of duct tape. Jenny thought Lazlo's invention was strange, but was disappointed that it couldn't hide her flipper feet. Then Loki found out that Circe had an affair with Doctor Dominic Newlow, after the doctor used mind-control to gain control of her plumbob, and because of this, the whole city is doomed. The end," the host says, grinning as he tears up the notecards and tosses them carelessly over his head.

"Wow, what a weird story," Lazlo speaks up. Next to them, all four of his teammates are sporting bizarre expressions on their faces.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods. "Yes, now line up and get ready to answer the questions," the host says, waiting for the survivors to get into position. "For immunity and a guaranteed spot in the final four…survivors ready? Go!" the host shouts, throwing his arm down.

All five of the survivors race into different parts of the woods. Crystal stops in front of the first table. "Okay," she mutters to herself, reading over the question, "Which of the following did Lazlo not invent?" Crystal scans over the answers, "A signaling device!" Crystal states, taking a package out of choice C's box.

Across the woods, Lazlo is reading over the question on table number six. "What was the name of Nervous' girlfriend?" he mumbles, "Uh…Denise?" he guesses, reaching into the answer box and retrieving a small package from it.

Pascal walks over to the third table and slams his hands onto it. "Who did Circe Beaker have an affair with?" Pascal mutters, scanning over the three answer choices, "Dominic Newlow, Nervous Subject, Pascal Curious?" Pascal blurts out, narrowing in on his name. "Hahaha! HAHAHA! Oh, that's a good one!" Pascal cries, wiping some tears away from his eyes after pounding his fist on the table. Pascal's eyes drift to the answer boxes. "Oh right, the answer!" he chimes, quickly reaching into the box and grabbing a package from choice A.

"Five minutes into this and it appears as though everyone has at least guessed on one question," the Unsavory Charlatan announces as Jenny and Nervous race over to unwrap their packages, Lazlo and Crystal following close behind.

"Yes!" Jenny cries, unwrapping a purple disc. She places it onto her hook and races back into the woods.

"Jenny has one, and it looks like Nervous has one too," the host narrates as Nervous unwraps a purple disc in front of him. "Crystal and Lazlo have guessed incorrectly, so they have to go back."

"Damn it!" Lazlo curses, throwing down his unwrapped blue disc as Pascal heads back towards his station.

Jenny arrives at her second table and reads the question over. "How did Nervous die?" she mutters, "Hmm…lightning?" she guesses, grabbing a package from answer choice B as Nervous races up behind her.

Nervous shivers after reading the question. "Stupid machine," he mumbles, grabbing a package from the correct answer box.

Across the woods, Crystal has arrived at the fifth table. "Okay. Jenny has…" Crystal trails off and reads over the answers, "…Flipper feet?" she guesses, reaching into the box for answer choice B.

"Alright, here's where we stand," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, as Crystal races back towards her individual station, "Jenny has three purple discs, Nervous, Crystal, and Lazlo each have two, and Pascal has one," the host informs them, "But this is still anyone's game."

"Aww man!" Jenny cries, throwing down an unwrapped blue disc; she quickly races back into the woods as Pascal walks over to his station.

"Everyone is racing through this challenge except Pascal," the Unsavory Charlatan narrates, narrowing his eyes at the scientist.

Pascal shrugs. "Hey, slow and steady wins the race," he argues, "Also, my foot fell asleep." Pascal unwraps another purple disc, "Bam-sha-bam! That's disc number two!" he states, hanging it on his hook. Unsavory Charlatan raises an eyebrow as he watches Pascal limp towards station number three. The host shakes his head.

Crystal, Nervous, and Lazlo race back towards the center of the woods, each of them carrying another package. They rip into them; two of the three items are blue.

"Dang it!" Lazlo cries, throwing yet another blue disc down.

"Oh come on!" Crystal frowns.

"Yay!" Nervous claps, giving a mini cheer as he hangs up another disc.

Fifteen minutes later, the challenge is still in full swing. The Unsavory Charlatan is smiling as he watches almost all of the survivors scramble around him. "Alright. Here is where we stand," he begins, "Jenny is in the lead with five discs, Pascal, Crystal, and Nervous have three, and Lazlo has two, Jenny is one disc away from victory."

"Ha-hah!" Pascal cries, tearing open another purple disc. He hangs it on his hook. Pascal stands up and rubs his hands together. "It's time to go into hyper-drive!" Pascal states, racing into the woods.

The Unsavory Charlatan blinks a few times; a puzzled expression spread across his face. "Now don't tell me that's normal," he states to Lazlo.

Jenny smiles as she approaches the last station. "You can do this Jenny, you have lots of time," she tells herself, "What was the name of Nervous' girlfriend?" Jenny sighs as Lazlo runs up behind her.

"Here," Lazlo reaches around his sister and opens the lid for answer choice A, which reads 'Denise' on the side of it.

Jenny looks up at him and smiles. "Thanks," she says, grabbing the package and racing back over to her station. Lazlo looks up at the camera and gives a devious smile.

" _You're welcome, Pascal."_

"We are down to the wire here," the Unsavory Charlatan states, watching as Jenny, Crystal, and Nervous rip into their packages. "Who will win this challenge?"

"What the hell?!" Jenny cries, unwrapping yet another blue disc. She glares at her approaching little brother; Lazlo shrugs.

Pascal kneels down in front of his station and unwraps his package, revealing a bright purple disc. "Yes!" he cheers, hanging up his fifth disc in a row.

"Jenny and Pascal are now tied with five discs each," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, "Everyone else is falling out of this challenge. Immunity is coming down to just one question for each of them!"

Pascal and Jenny both tear into the woods. Pascal stops to catch his breath, before reading over his final question. "Which Curious brother kidnapped Tycho?" he reads, scanning over the answers. Pascal turns to the camera and smiles, grabbing a package from answer choice B, "Oh Vid, you so bad!" he cries, racing back towards the individual stations.

"Pascal has returned, but Jenny is seconds in front of him," the Unsavory Charlatan informs the others, "Are their answers correct or is someone about to be sent packing?" he wonders.

Jenny frantically unwraps her package; the color blue peeking through the paper's opening. "Gosh dammit!" Jenny cries, throwing the package down and racing back into the woods.

"Jenny was wrong, she has to go back to try again!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, pacing over to Pascal who is now unwrapping his package, "Pascal has yet to win an individual immunity challenge so far in this game. Can he do it…?"

"Hell yeah I can!" Pascal cries, pulling out the purple disc and quickly hanging it on his hook.

The Unsavory Charlatan looks over Pascal's station and throws his arms up. "Pascal wins immunity and is guaranteed a spot in the final four!" he shouts.

"Whoo yeah!" Pascal cheers; Nervous and Lazlo are lightly clapping behind him. Nearby, Jenny and Crystal return from their stations, looking positively exhausted.

"Pascal, come on over," the Unsavory Charlatan states, gesturing Pascal over to the pedestal. The host clasps the immunity necklace around the scientist's neck and places his hand on his shoulder. "And with that, Pascal has won immunity and is safe from tonight's vote. As for the rest of you, I will see you all at tribal council, where one of you will become the tenth person voted out of this game," he says, "I will give you the day to decide. Goodnight everyone!" he says with a wave.

The other survivors nod, a look of disappointment apparent on Jenny's face. She sighs and shakes her head, gazing over at Pascal.

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Field Researcher/Mother of Two_

Well, Pascal won immunity, which is definitely not what I wanted to happen, but that's okay, because now I can focus on dismantling the power pair. Crystal and Nervous are too close and I need to split them up before we get to the final four, or else I have no chance at winning this thing. It stinks that I have to betray them, but if I make it to the finals, I want to be next to the dead weight, because if I'm up against the big guns, like Pascal and Crystal, my chances of winning are slim to none.

 _Later that Night_

"Congratulations Pascal," Crystal states, after all five of the remaining survivors return to their starlit campsite and start going their separate ways.

"Yeah," Lazlo seconds, taking a seat down in the shelter, "I had I feeling you would win," he smirks.

Pascal smiles and hangs the immunity necklace on his torch. "Thanks guys."

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Geez Louise! You have no idea how relieved I am right now. I knew going into that challenge that if I didn't win, my tribemates were going vote me off, so at least now I can relax a bit. I just need to make sure that Jenny's still on board with the plan to split up Crystal and Nervous, because right now, that's by far the smartest option.

…

Jenny is standing outside of the shelter, gazing off in the direction of her two former Death Conqueror teammates – both Crystal and Nervous are sitting inside of the structure, but neither of them are saying a word. "Man, that was rough," Jenny speaks up suddenly, "Are we still good?" she asks them.

Crystal nods. "Of course."

"Great," Jenny replies, leaving before Crystal can object. Jenny walks into the forest and turns toward one of the cameras. _"I want to ditch my teammates,"_ Jenny whispers _, "It's time to shake things up! I want to get rid of Crystal, but unfortunately, I may have screwed myself over when I gave her the immunity idol a week ago,"_ she continues, _"But by doing that, I did establish trust between the two of us, and if Crystal trusts me, then she'll never see this coming. It's time to start paving my road to the finals,"_ Jenny says, _"Sorry Crystal."_

 _Day 24_

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I woke up this morning feeling really… _strange_. It's weird not talking to Nervous – I mean, I've talked to him every day since we got here – but now, I just don't know what to say. We have to vote off someone tonight, and my go-to option has immunity, Jenny and Nervous are my alliance members, and Lazlo is my boyfriend, so I don't know what I'm going to do. Right now, I'm just hoping an option opens up and things start getting back to normal.

…

Crystal and Jenny are seen standing alone in the woods, the light from the sunrise delicately touching the ground beneath them. Jenny picks up another piece of firewood and follows Crystal further into the trees. "So, what's the plan?" Crystal asks Jenny as she picks up another piece of wood as well.

"Well, I talked to Nervous this morning, and we both agreed that because Pascal won immunity, we have to vote off Lazlo tonight," Jenny tells her teammate.

Crystal stands up straight, securing the piece of wood in her hands before brushing a small strand of loose hair away from her face. "Okay," she says, expressionless.

"I'm sorry," Jenny speaks up suddenly, "I know we both like him in very different ways, but unfortunately that's our only option right now."

"No, it's okay, I understand," Crystal replies, bending over to pick up a tree branch, "I kind of figured this day would come. So it's settled: Tonight we'll vote off Lazlo."

Jenny nods, "Yep, Lazlo is going home tonight."

 _A Few Minutes Later_

Nervous is still sitting inside of the shelter, sighing as he sits alone on the campsite. Nervous leans back and stretches, giving a rather large yawn. "Well, I guess I deserve this," Nervous tells the camera, "I guess I kind of screwed myself over," he states, "At this point, my chances of getting back into this game are slim to none. What made me think I could possibly do this? I can't do anything! I can't-"

Suddenly, Nervous stops, watching as Jenny walks into the woods with her two brothers. Nervous turns back to the camera, sporting a suspicious look on his face, "Hold up one second," he tells the camera, holding his pointer finger up to the lens. Nervous slowly gets up out of the shelter and tiptoes towards the entrance of the woods, doing his best to remain out of sight.

Nervous turns and looks to the camera once more. _"Okay, I'll admit this doesn't look good, but I'll be damned if Jenny tries to screw Crystal over while I'm still here,"_ he whispers to the camera, _"It's time to take this game into my own hands!"_

 _Meanwhile: In the Woods_

"Alright, so let's go over this thing one more time," Pascal says, as he stands between his brother and sister.

Jenny nods. "Okay, so I'll tell Crystal and Nervous that I am voting for Lazlo with the two of them tonight, but really you, Lazlo, and I will all cast votes for Nervous," she reminds them, "We take him out and Crystal's powerless."

"Uh-huh," Pascal states, though it appears as though he is still not buying the plan, "But doesn't she have the idol?" he asks.

"Yeah," Jenny confirms, "That's why we can't vote for her. Crystal will probably use the idol for herself tonight just because it's the last night in the game that she can do so."

"True, but are you sure she won't use it on Nervous?" Pascal questions further, "I mean they are really good friends."

Jenny shakes her head. "Believe me, Nervous would never let Crystal do that. She already tried to do that once before and he refused. We're good to go," Jenny assures her brothers, "There is no way she is going to see this coming."

Pascal nods, seemingly convinced. "Alright, then it's settled. Tonight we'll vote off Nervous," he says, giving Jenny's hand a firm shake. Jenny nods and exits the area, leaving the two Curious brothers alone. Pascal glances over at his little brother, who is still staring down at the dirt in silence.

"Lazlo, are you okay?" he asks him.

"Hmm?" Lazlo says, barely lifting his head up. "Oh, oh yeah, I'm fine," he lies, "I just can't believe that Crystal would go after me," Lazlo confesses, "I guess I'm just in shock."

Pascal moves forward and places a loving hand on his brother's shoulder. "Lazlo, it's a game, it's not real life," Pascal reassures him, "This is just what people do. I mean, we love Vidcund and we still voted him off."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Lazlo sighs, still staring down at the ground.

"Well, we should probably head back to our campsite," Pascal speaks up, "We need to help Jenny with the fire."

"Alright," Lazlo states, still deep in thought, "I'll be there in a few minutes, I just need a little time to myself right now." Pascal nods and gives a small wave goodbye. Lazlo watches as his older brother leaves the area, dozens of different thoughts and feelings racing through his mind.

"Hey Lazlo!" a voice rings out behind him.

Lazlo quickly turns around only to find himself face to face with none other than Nervous Subject. "Oh uh, hey Nervous," Lazlo states, his hand positioned on his chest; Lazlo's heart beating fast. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," Nervous says as he slowly steps forward, kicking some of the dirt up with his shoes. "Actually, I'm glad I caught you. I want to ask you something."

"And what's that?" Lazlo speaks up.

Nervous steps forward and crosses his arms; his face in a line. "What should I wear to my last tribal council?"

Lazlo steps back, unable to believe what he is hearing. "What?"

"Just cut the act, okay?" Nervous says, "I know how to read liars; I live with two of the best!" he reminds him. "Lazlo, I don't care if you guys screw me over, alright?" Nervous tells him, "But I do care about Crystal, and when she finds out that you of all people are screwing her over, she's going to be crushed!" Nervous warns him, "So if you're going to do that, then please tell her."

"I'm not screwing her over, okay?" Lazlo retorts, backing slightly away from the test subject, "Besides, that's a bit hypercritical considering you two are going after me tonight. You guys want to get rid of me!" he shouts.

"What? We don't want to get rid of you," Nervous says, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion, "Crystal doesn't want to, and neither do I. Getting rid of you wouldn't even make any sense!" he argues, trying his best to maintain eye contact with the youngest Curious brother, "Lazlo, you and I both know where we stand in this game. To that jury of four right now, you and I are both considered dead weight. Heck! Even Jenny called you that," Nervous states, pointing towards the beach, "But what if, for one night, instead of being floaters, you and I team together and do something game-changing?"

Lazlo sighs and steps back, nervously scanning the area around him. "Gee, I don't know-"

"Come on, Lazlo. Aren't you tired of being the one that's always left in the dark? Don't you want to be known as more than just Pascal's little brother? I know you have it in you – I've seen your gameplay," Nervous urges, "Besides, what do we have to lose anyway? You and I are already on the bottom as far as the jury is concerned, so why not go out with a bang? What do you say?" Nervous asks, holding his hand out.

Lazlo's gaze drifts down to the dirt once more as he begins to shuffle his feet. After a few moments, Lazlo sighs, and gazes back up at the test subject. "I say I think I have a lot to think about," he confesses.

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

So Jenny thinks I'm dead weight, huh? I'll show her what dead weight can do!

 _Later that Afternoon_

Crystal is standing crouched near the campfire, snapping twigs in half and placing them gently into the woodpile. Crystal's heart beats a tad faster when she sees Lazlo approaching her. "Oh, hey Lazlo," Crystal says, doing her best to escape his gaze.

"Crystal, we need to talk," Lazlo talks suddenly, scanning the campsite for any unwanted intruders.

"Um, okay," Crystal replies, cautiously standing up straight and tossing the last twig into the fire, "What's up?"

Lazlo sighs, "It's about tonight-"

"Look, I was going to tell you, but I just-"

"My sister's playing you, Crystal," Lazlo confesses immediately.

Crystal tilts her forehead, "Wait, what?"

"I don't know what Jenny told you, but she told Pascal and me a few hours ago that she's going to screw you guys over," Lazlo tells her, still eyeing the empty campsite.

"So, she's voting me off?" Crystal wonders.

Lazlo shakes his head. "Not exactly," he states, "She's voting off Nervous cause she was afraid you'd play the idol," Lazlo says, "Now I am totally for switching my vote and voting with you two to get rid of her, but you have to let me know before we leave tonight. And just so you know, it sounds like Nervous is for this plan, too."

"He is?" Crystal repeats, her head spinning at all this shocking information, "You talked to him?"

"Yeah," Lazlo nods, "And we decided it's all up to you. Whatever you decide is what we'll do," he firmly promises.

Crystal holds her hands up to her forehead, her head aching at this news. "Okay, thanks. Just give me the day to decide, I really have to think this over," she says.

"Alright," Lazlo agrees, leaning forward and giving her a small kiss on the cheek before taking off towards the shelter. Crystal turns around in place, watching in awe as Lazlo leaves her.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe Jenny betrayed us," she states flabbergasted, "And is Lazlo finally playing this game?!"

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

Silly Lazlo, what are you doing? You don't know how to play this game! _(smirks into the camera)_

…

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Well that was a plot twist if I've ever seen one. I can't believe I even thought about voting out Lazlo. That would've been such a stupid move! Why would I get rid of someone who has my back?!

…

An hour later, Pascal and Lazlo are sitting inside of the bamboo shelter conversing with one another for the fifteenth time that day. "I miss Vid," Pascal says suddenly, gazing up at some of the bamboo poles that are holding up the ceiling, "Remember how he used to yell at us and say we were the worst brothers ever?" he reminisces.

Lazlo turns over on his side, a puzzled look on his face. "Why did you pick such horrible memories?" he asks.

Pascal shrugs his shoulders, "Because…those were the first ones that came to mind!"

Crystal jumps into the shelter and moves over to Lazlo. "Hey Lazlo."

"Hey," Lazlo states, his eyes widening as Crystal pushes her lips onto his. The pair start passionately making out. Pascal quickly gets up out of the shelter and takes off towards the woods. Seeing this, Crystal immediately pulls back and lowers her voice.

"Lazlo?" Crystal whispers.

"Yeah?" Lazlo speaks up, holding her at arms' length.

Crystal leans forward and whispers in his ear. " _Vote Nervous,_ " she squeaks, her eyes filling up with tears.

Lazlo nods, seeing the pain that is in her eyes.

"-Alright."

 _Tribal Council_

All five survivors walk into the tribal council area and set their torches and belongings down before taking their seats in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks up to them and smiles. "We'll now bring in the members of our jury," he announces, turning towards the open archway, "Pollination Tech #9, Circe, Vidcund, and Loki, who was voted out at the last tribal council," the Unsavory Charlatan states, raising an eyebrow as only Pollination Tech #9 and Circe walk through the archway and take their seats. "Wait, hold up," the host tells the survivors, getting up from his seat and walking over to the archway. He scans the outside area. "Where the hell did they go? Damn it!" he curses, "Who thought it was a good idea to vote Vidcund and Loki off back-to-back?!"

"I'm looking at you, Lazlo," Pascal calls out to his brother. Lazlo glares at him. "I'm just kidding. It was obviously me," Pascal chimes, giving a rather triumphant smile.

Vidcund steps through the archway, his hair filled with leaves and his face smudged with mud. "Sorry we're late, _someone_ got us lost and took us off the route," Vidcund narrows his eyes at Loki.

Loki smirks and crosses his arms over his surprisingly clean clothes. "Hey, I knew what I was doing."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just get over there," the Unsavory Charlatan states, pointing the pair to the bleachers. Vidcund and Loki turn to each other and shrug before taking their seats in front of Pollination Tech #9 and Circe.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together, taking his seat back on his stool in front of the survivors. "Well, now that that little charade is over, we can get started with tribal," he states with a smile, "You guys only have a week left until this game is over and the jury casts their votes for a winner. Jenny, how do you think you're doing so far? Do you think you've done enough to win this thing?"

"Well, that's a tough question to answer, because obviously I don't know what the jury thinks of me or how they're going to vote," Jenny answers honestly. Across the room, Circe is glaring at her. "The best I can do is just give it my all and hope that that's enough for them to give me their vote."

"I see," the host responds, before turning to another tribe member, "Lazlo, let's talk about the challenge."

"-Let's not," Lazlo says, giving a small laugh.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and places a hand on his hip. "We had a challenge today where our good friend the Grim Reaper resurrected a few of your family members so that they could help you guys build sandcastles," the host states, stopping to process this statement, "Man, this game just gets weirder and weirder," he shakes his head, "Anyway, halfway through the challenge, you get stuck in the water and your mother had to rescue you."

"Yes," Lazlo says, "What's your point?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to embarrass you," the Unsavory Charlatan confesses before turning to another contestant. "Pascal, if you had to take a guess right now, what percent chance does your brother have at winning this thing?" he asks.

"I think Lazlo has as good of a chance as anyone to win this thing," Pascal answers honestly; Circe rolls her eyes, "Why not? He's a valuable player." Lazlo looks to Pascal and smiles.

The Unsavory Charlatan scratches his chin. "Interesting," he states, turning towards a different contestant, "Crystal, you're in a pretty tough position tonight-"

"Well I think that's safe to say," Crystal confirms with a nod.

"You have your old alliance and you have your boyfriend and his brother," the host continues on, "So, who do you vote for? And who do you keep around?"

"'Well, let's just say this," Crystal begins, stopping to give a small sigh, "In times like these, you gotta stick with your gut and hope you made the right decision."

"And with that it is time to vote," the Unsavory Charlatan says, clasping his hands together once more and pointing to the castaway on the left, "Jenny, you're up first."

Jenny nods and stands up. She walks up to the voting station, writes down Nervous' name on the piece of parchment, and holds it up to the camera. "I'm sorry Nervous, but it's time for this girl to go solo." Jenny carefully folds up her vote and places it into the voting box.

Once she takes his seat, Pascal stands up and makes his way over to the voting station. He uncaps the black marker and writes Nervous' name down in gigantic letters. He holds it up to the camera, his face frowning. "Nervous, you are one hell of a guy. I have nothing against you, but I have to cut down Crystal's power. Good luck, bud." Pascal sighs as he casts his vote.

Pascal sits down as Lazlo sits up. The youngest Curious brother approaches the voting station, uncaps the marker, and writes down a name on his piece of parchment. He holds it up to the camera. "I'm just doing what you told me to so…I hope it works out."

Once Lazlo returns, Crystal stands up and slowly walks over to the voting station. She looks down at the empty piece of parchment situated on the table in front of her and sighs. Crystal taps nervously on the table for a few minutes, before reaching down and picking up the marker. She writes a person's name down and holds it up to the camera. "You've been with me since the very beginning…I'm sorry I have to do this…" Crystal says between tears, "…I feel so horrible…please forgive me." Crystal cries as she places a single heart next to the person's name, a few tears falling off of her cheeks and striking the piece of parchment. Crystal takes a deep breath and folds the piece of parchment in half before gently placing it inside the voting box. Crystal wipes her face before returning to the rest of her teammates.

Crystal passes by Nervous on the way back, who is nervously shaking in his seat. Finally, Nervous stands up and makes his way over to the voting station. He confidently grabs the marker and writes the person's name down in huge letters, Nervous' face cold as he holds his vote up to the camera. "I have never been more sure of a vote in my life. I may be done, but I'm not out yet, and I'm not going to let you screw her over. Nervous out!" Nervous states, giving a few snaps and smirking a bit at his best Circe impersonation. He quickly folds up his vote and places it in the box.

Nervous walks back to the others and takes his seat down next to Crystal. "I'll go get the votes," the Unsavory Charlatan states, giving a firm nod to the contestants before retrieving the box. He places the voting box on the podium and gently rests his hand on it. "If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and they would like to play it, now would be the time to do so."

Everyone looks towards Nervous, he looks down at the ground and sighs. Next to him, Crystal's feet are shaking as she nervously licks her lips. All of a sudden, Crystal stands up, grabbing onto the idol in her pocket.

"I do," she states.

The Unsavory Charlatan shrugs, "Great," he says as Crystal moves towards him. Behind her, the jury is watching her every move.

Crystal reaches into her pocket, grabs the hidden immunity idol, and holds it out to the host. Within seconds, she has handed it over.

"Alright," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, holding the idol up to the survivors, "This is a hidden immunity idol, so any votes cast against Crystal-"

"-Nervous," Crystal speaks suddenly.

The Unsavory Charlatan scrunches his forehead, "What?" he squeaks.

"I'm playing it for Nervous," Crystal clarifies, "Not me. _Him_ ," Crystal says, pointing to her teammate. Behind her, Jenny and Pascal look shocked.

"Oh…well, okay," the Unsavory Charlatan says, giving a small shrug and tossing the idol into the fire, "Then any votes cast against Nervous will not count, but any votes cast against Crystal will. I'll read the votes…"

Crystal nods and slowly takes her seat back next to her teammates. Next to her, Nervous looks like he is about to cry. Behind her, Lazlo smiles and pats Crystal on the back.

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box and pulls out the first piece of parchment. "First vote – Nervous, does not count," the host says, stopping to glance down at the survivors, "So far, we have no votes," he reminds them as he reaches down into the voting box again and grabs another piece of parchment, "Second vote – Nervous, does not count," the Unsavory Charlatan says, this time turning to the jury, "We still have no votes."

"Third vote – Nervous, does not count," the Unsavory Charlatan says after revealing the third vote to the survivors, "Once again, we have no votes," he reminds them.

Crystal turns to Nervous, a knowing look on both of their faces as the host reaches into the voting box and takes out the fourth vote of the night. "Fourth vote – Jenny, counts," the Unsavory Charlatan says, revealing Jenny's name with a heart written by it.

Crystal turns to Jenny, a sorrowful expression on her face as she makes a heart with her hand. Jenny nods slightly and turns away from her as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box and retrieves the final vote. The host opens up the final vote and scans it over.

"Tenth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the fifth member of our jury is…Jenny," the Unsavory Charlatan says, revealing the final vote to the crowd. "Jenny, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Jenny nods and stands up, Crystal and Nervous immediately standing up with her. "I'm so sorry," Crystal says, on the verge of tears as she gives the mother a hug.

"It's okay," Jenny reassures her, "I understand. You got me good, Vu."

"Bye Jenny," Nervous says, softly hugging her, "Thanks for everything." Jenny gives a smile small and pats him gently on the back before grabbing her torch from the wall.

Jenny sighs as she places her torch in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks up at her and shakes his head.

"Jenny, the tribe has spoken," he announces, snuffing Jenny's torch out in one swift motion, "It's time for you to go."

Jenny nods and turns to the other survivors. "Good luck, everyone," Jenny says, scanning her former tribemates over before holding her gaze on Crystal. She smiles knowingly, before turning around and exiting through the archway.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, before redirecting his attention to the four remaining survivors. "Congratulations on making it to the final four – but I have to say, after twenty-four days out here, you haven't seen anything yet. Pack up your things and head back to camp…you are about to experience the hardest week of your lives."

The four remaining survivors nod, grab their belongings, and exit the tribal council area. Nervous wraps his arms around Crystal and gives her a side hug as they walk into the night with Pascal and Lazlo.

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Closing Words_

Well, I gave it my best shot and in the end, that's all that mattered. I am super proud of how well I did; I never thought in a million years that I would make it this far. As a mom, I'm really proud of all my kids, both my kids at home and my kids here, and how much they've grown in this game. In my opinion, there's no better way to go in this game then to be voted out by a better player – or in this case, two. Nervous, I never thought I would see the day where you would start playing and take things into your own hands, so kudos to you, but I still think my daughter's going to win this thing.

…

Later that night, Crystal walks towards the shelter, gently moving her feet in the sand. She holds her hands in front of her torso and takes a deep breath before crouching down into the shelter. Crystal quietly moves forward, stopping in front of someone who is lying down on the bamboo. "I love you," Crystal confesses, leaning down and passionately kissing them; the person kisses back, the campsite eerily silent around them.

 _To Be Continued._


	9. Episode 9: Giving In

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Nine –** _Giving In_

"We're live in Strangetown for the three-part season finale of Survivor: Strangetown Edition. Who's excited?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks, throwing his hands up in the air. The camera pans out, revealing an auditorium filled with cheering Strangetown residents, as the host stands on a stage below them. The Unsavory Charlatan pauses for a moment, before clasping his hands together and flashing his signature smirk to the crowd.

"As you all know, we took fourteen of the most insane people from the neighborhood and put them on an island to fight for a million simoleons, and it was TV gold," the host announces to the crowd, "And after all that, it's safe to say that we've ruined at least a few reputations," he smiles.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns his head and gazes into another camera. "But now, we're down to the final four. Who will win the title of Sole Survivor and one million simoleon prize that goes along with it?" the host wonders, "Will it be Crystal, Lazlo, Nervous, or Pascal?" he states, pausing for the applause.

"Now before we continue with our narrative, let's take a look back at the remaining survivors' journeys on the show and how they got to where they are today," the Unsavory Charlatan says, once the crowd as died down. "There's no doubt that Crystal Vu, the twenty-seven-year-old business executive, has achieved much success in her life. But unfortunately for her, Crystal's journey on the show didn't start out that way, as within days, Crystal found herself facing early elimination. But Crystal's people skills were able to save her from a day six defeat…"

 _Nearby, Crystal is coming back from the well, quickly ducking behind a tree when she sees Circe. "I was going to align myself with Circe," Crystal says into the camera as she attempts to go unnoticed, "But something more pressing caught my eye."_

 _Crystal walks towards the beach, watching as Nervous Subject sits in a fetal position on the shoreline his body shaking. She flashes the camera a troubled look before making her way over to Nervous. "Hey, uh – are you okay?" she asks._

" _I don't like it here, there's too much sun!" Nervous shouts, unable to control his volume, "I want to go home! No wait, no I don't," he concludes, rocking his body back and forth._

 _Crystal smiles and sits down next to him. "Hey, it's okay. You can do this," she reassures him, "I mean if anyone could survive in harsh conditions it's you."_

…

 _The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the final vote and opens it up, glancing down at the piece parchment. "The second sim voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition is…Erin," the host tells them, revealing the final vote. "Erin, you'll need to bring me your torch."_

 _Erin stands up, clearly shocked as Crystal gives a sigh of relief, putting her hands over her mouth._

…

"Crystal started on the very bottom, which is where she stayed for most of the game," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "Along the way, she lost many valuable allies…"

…

" _Sixth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the first member of our jury is…Pollination Tech #9," he says, turning over the final vote. "Pollination Tech #9, you'll need to bring me your torch."_

 _Nearby, Loki has his head between his legs, trying to control his shock as Crystal, Nervous, and Pollination Tech #9 himself stand speechless behind him. Crystal and Nervous Subject walk over and hug him._

…

 _ **Circe Beaker  
** Closing Words_

 _I think I did the best I could with the crap that I was given. I wish I could've won, but obviously that didn't happen. Now Crystal, we better freakin' win this thing, because you're the only one in a sea of nincompoops that actually has an ounce of strategy! - Circe out! (snaps fingers)_

…

"…But Crystal never let those losses stop her from making a play…"

…

" _You have control right now, Pascal," Crystal begins, "But control is only a good thing in this game if you can keep it."_

 _Pascal cocks his eyebrow, intrigued. "I'm listening…"_

" _There's something here that is threatening your control of this game," Crystal continues, "Two of your alliance members – Vidcund and Loki – are too close. Now let's say you take out the rest of us and you're only left with your core alliance."_

 _Pascal nods, "Okay."_

" _Well, what makes you think that they wouldn't just immediately turn around and vote you off?" she wonders, "Vidcund and Loki are a solid pair, and Lazlo is best friends with your brother. You vote us off, you're fourth at best. Third if you somehow win immunity," she states._

 _Pascal crosses his arms. "Go on."_

" _Now, let's say instead of doing that, you take Loki out tomorrow with us," Crystal tells him, "Final six, you're guaranteed to be in the majority. For sure you have myself, Nervous, and Jenny – even if Vidcund tries to vote you out in vengeance, he couldn't," she promises, "Your biggest threat is gone, you got him before he got you, and you get credited for making a game-changing move. Not to mention the fact that you regain Circe's jury vote. And you know, she is the Queen of Persuasion."_

 _Pascal lifts his head up, bringing his hand up to his face, still thinking this through. "You're a smart woman, Crystal," he tells the young townie, "I'll think about it."_

…

"Crystal's gameplay is a combination of physical perseverance and hidden strategy," the Unsavory Charlatan analyzes, clasping his hands in front of his torso, "And she definitely didn't take any shortcuts to pave her way to the final week."

…

" _This is a terrible idea, Crystal," Lazlo tells her, "This would destroy any chance that I'd have at getting my brothers' votes!" he argues, "I don't even know why you care about shaking things up! Just drop Jenny and Nervous and I'll take you in with us!"_

" _No," Crystal states firmly, "That is never going to happen! I am not going to be carried to the final five!"_

…

"Now Crystal finds herself in a very powerful position for the first time in this game," the Unsavory Charlatan notes, "Does she have what it takes to make it through these last seven days?" the host asks, turning towards the movie theatre length plasma screen television that is situated on the wall behind him. A day twenty-five confessional starts to roll.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I am in a very good position right now. Lazlo and Nervous are both in love with me, so Pascal is really the only one that I have to worry about going after me. I am so close to the end right now, and I'm extremely scared that something is going to screw this up. I've never wanted anything so much, and this week is definitely going to prove whether or not Crystal Vu has what it takes to win this thing. It's time to _Get to Work._ _(awkwardly smiles into the camera and gives a few nervous chuckles before slouching down apologetically)_ – Sorry.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and shakes his head a few times; he turns back to the audience. "Or perhaps it will be Lazlo, the human garbage disposal and the youngest of the Curious brothers, who has spent his entire game flying under the radar?" the Unsavory Charlatan wonders, "Lazlo came to the island with his two brothers, but has proved since the very beginning that he's not afraid to make a move…"

…

 _ **Lazlo Curious  
** Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

 _Gosh, this is tough. I have no idea what I'm going to do. Trust me, I would love to vote with my brothers on this one, but the thing is, Loki hasn't really done anything yet. And I'm not a part of the rivalry, so I just can't really justify voting him out. General Buzz, however, annoys the crap out of me and after that conversation with Pollination Tech #9 and Ajay, I bet we could easily get rid of him. But am I really willing to risk losing Pascal and Vidcund's trust over this? (sighs) That is the question._

…

 _The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the final vote and opens it up. "The first person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition is…Buzz," the host tells them, revealing the final vote. Both Vidcund and Loki breath sighs of relief. "Buzz, you'll need to bring me your torch."_

 _Pascal watches as General Buzz walks behind them, the scientist's face filled with shock as he redirects his attentions to his brothers. "What happened?" he whispers._

" _Lazlo switched," Vidcund whispers back, leaning in next to him._

 _Pascal turns to his other side and locks eyes with his youngest brother. "-Sorry," Lazlo whisper-apologizes._

 _Pascal turns forward, brushing him off, his face filled with sternness and determination. "Game on, Lazzie boy."_

…

"Throughout his time on the island, Lazlo has faced many internal conflicts…"

…

 _ **Lazlo Curious  
** Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

 _This is tough. This is the toughest decision I've had to make in my life. Do I follow through with the plan with Pascal to take Vid out? Do I vote for Nervous with Vidcund and Loki? Or do I tell Vidcund and Loki what Pascal is up to and take him out for even suggesting this betrayal, because I could probably get my sister to vote with us? Tonight I have to decide whether I'm playing for Pascal, I'm playing for Vid, or I'm playing for me. (covers face with hands and groans) – Oh God._

…

 _Crystal stands in front of Lazlo and sighs, bringing her hands together. "Lazlo, we're getting rid of Pascal tonight."_

" _What?!" Lazlo cries, placing his hand on his chest, "Who?" he squeaks, "Who's getting rid of Pascal?"_

" _Loki," she answers, "It was his idea."_

" _And you're going along with it?" Lazlo says, his face filled with shock. "Why?"_

" _Lazlo, it's a game," Crystal replies, "And Pascal is clearly the biggest threat here. None of us stand a chance against him if he makes it to the finals."_

 _Lazlo shakes his head. "Crystal, we don't even know if that's true-" he begins._

" _Look, do you want to win or not?" Crystal speaks up suddenly, "Because if you want to win, then you have to get rid of Pascal, and that's a fact," she adds, filling up her canteen and exiting off the lot._

 _Lazlo stands there alone in the woods, dozens of thoughts racing through his mind._

 _ **Lazlo Curious  
** Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

 _What am I going to do? Three days have passed, and I'm faced with the same decision once again: Am I playing for my brother or am I playing for myself?_

…

"But at the end of the day, everyone knew where his loyalties lied…"

…

" _Pascal, everyone's voting you off tonight," Lazlo blurts out suddenly._

 _Pascal stops in his tracks. "What?" he throws his arms down._

" _Crystal, Jenny, Nervous, and Loki are voting you off tonight," Lazlo elaborates, "And Loki's leading the entire thing. Crystal told me a few minutes ago, and I had to tell you because I don't you to be blindsided like Vid was," Lazlo spews out, pacing in front of his brother, "And I'm sorry, I tried to change their minds, but they didn't listen, and now there's nothing we can do!"_

" _I see," Pascal states, surprisingly calm, "Lazlo, we can pull this off," he says, putting a hand on Lazlo's shoulder; stopping him in place, "I just need you to vote with me."_

" _Okay," Lazlo says immediately, "Who are we voting for?"_

 _Pascal looks up at Lazlo and smiles; tearing up at his brother's loyalty._

…

" _My sister's playing you, Crystal," Lazlo confesses immediately._

 _Crystal tilts her forehead, "Wait, what?"_

" _I don't know what Jenny told you, but she told Pascal and I a few hours ago that she's going to screw you guys over," Lazlo tells her, still eyeing the empty campsite._

" _So, she's voting me off?" Crystal wonders._

 _Lazlo shakes his head. "Not exactly," he states, "She's voting off Nervous cause she was afraid you'd play the idol," Lazlo says, "Now I am totally for switching my vote and voting with you two to get rid of her, but you have to let me know before we leave tonight and it sounds like Nervous is for this plan, too."_

" _He is?" Crystal repeats, her head spinning at all this shocking information, "You talked to him?"_

" _Yeah," Lazlo nods, "And we decided it's all up to you. Whatever you decide is what we'll do," he firmly promises._

…

"Lazlo's gameplay has been described as both random and unselfish," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the Strangetown residents, "But can a guy with seemingly no strategy, figure out a way to win a million simoleons?" he questions before looking back up at the television monitor. Lazlo's day twenty-five survivor-self flashes onto the screen.

…

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

That's right – I'm still here! I'm still trying to figure out how the hell I managed to pull this off; I just did everything that I know how to do, and it worked. Let's just hope I can keep this up 'til I make it to the finals and I'll be good. Who would've thought that day one Lazlo knew what he was talking about? _(smiles in awe and shakes his head)_ – What a crazy world! At this point, I know no one thinks that I can win…and that's exactly how I like it.

…

"Yes, who would've guessed," the Unsavory Charlatan replies, turning away from the television set and cocking his head to the side. "Well, from the very beginning, Nervous Subject has lived up to his name…"

…

" _Ahh! My eyes!" Nervous screams, throwing his hands over his face, attempting to block out this scandalous sight. He takes an empty potato sack from the campsite and places it over his head. He sniffs the inside of it. "Ooh. This would make a great candle scent," he tells Crystal._

…

 _Five minutes later, Crystal, Nervous, Jenny, and Lazlo are still in the challenge, trying their best to knock each other out. The challenge is getting rather violent, as dozens of balls are flying in the air. Nervous takes his last vase and hides under his table._

…

"Nervous was terrified of many things to say the least, and he has spent most of game in Crystal's shadow, but he's proven a few times that he can make strategic plays, and that he's not afraid to go against his real-life oppressors-"

…

" _The second sim voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition is…Erin," the host tells them, revealing the final vote. "Erin, you'll need to bring me your torch."_

 _Erin stands up, clearly shocked as Crystal gives a sigh of relief, putting her hands over her mouth. Circe turns to Nervous, glaring daggers at him as he looks down at the floor._

" _I'm not your slave Circe," Nervous speaks up, finding the courage to speak, "Not here," he states._

…

" _Please!" Loki states, brushing it off, "You were out the moment you stepped on this island. You're a joke, Vu! And I don't hear anyone refuting that."_

 _Around him, everyone is silent. The Unsavory Charlatan and the survivors look over at Lazlo; he gazes down at the ground and says nothing._

" _-I'll refute that!" a voice calls out next to him. Everyone on sight turns and looks to Nervous, who is holding his hand up._

" _What?" Loki speaks up, unable to believe what he is hearing._

" _You heard me," Nervous answers with a smile, "I think Crystal is the best player out here. She beat your wife and she beat your sister, and they were both better players than you – so I really don't think you have a chance."_

…

 _Nervous steps forward and crosses his arms; his face in a line. "What should I wear to my last tribal council?"_

 _Lazlo steps back, unable to believe what he is hearing. "What?"_

" _Look, cut the act, okay?" Nervous says, "I know how to read liars. I live with two of the best!" he reminds him. "Lazlo, I don't care if you guys screw me over, alright?" Nervous tells him, "But I do care about Crystal, and when she finds out that you of all people are screwing her over, she's going to be crushed!" Nervous warns him, "So if you're going to do that, then please tell her."_

" _I'm not screwing her over, okay?" Lazlo retorts, backing slightly away from the test subject, "Besides, that's a bit hypercritical considering you two are going after me tonight. You guys want to get rid of me!" he shouts._

" _What? We don't want to get rid of you," Nervous says, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion, "Crystal doesn't want to, and neither do I. Getting rid of you wouldn't even make any sense!" he argues, trying his best to maintain eye contact with the youngest Curious brother, "Lazlo, you and I both know where we stand in this game. To that jury of four right now, you and I are both considered dead weight. Heck! Even Jenny called you that," Nervous states, pointing towards the beach, "But what if, for one night, instead of being floaters, you and I team together and do something game-changing?"_

…

"Unfortunately, Nervous's feelings for his number one ally, Crystal, may have jeopardized his standings in the game, when he confessed his love for her on day twenty-two…"

…

 _Twenty minutes later, Crystal and Nervous are lying down in the woods completely exhausted, their hands covered in dirt. "Well, if there is another idol, they did a good job hiding it," Crystal groans, wiping her hands on her shorts, "So I think we're good for now."_

" _Yeah," Nervous speaks, clearly out of breath. The pair lies down for a moment, neither of them saying a word, as Nervous begins fidgeting his hands. Finally, Nervous turns over and faces his teammate, his hands shaking. "Hey Crystal?" Nervous begins. "I gotta tell you something-"_

" _Okay," Crystal replies, unsure of the fearful tone that is filling her friend's voice. "What's up?" she asks, moving forward slightly._

" _I uh..." Nervous wonders off, turning away for a bit to collect himself, "I'm in love with you."_

 _Crystal immediately sits up. "What?!" she squeaks._

…

 _Pascal and Jenny are still conversing in the shelter while Crystal and Nervous watch on either side of them. Crystal and Nervous look to each other, neither of them saying a word. Nervous sighs and brings his knees up towards his chin, resting his head gently on his legs. He listens for a few more seconds before slowly getting up from out of the shelter and heading towards the empty woods._

 _ **Nervous Subject  
** Test Subject/Mohawk King_

 _I don't know why I did what I did. This time, maybe I shouldn't have told Crystal the truth. Things got super awkward after I told her that I love her – which is understandable, but this is definitely the most awkward thing that has ever happened to me, and I've witnessed some really awkward things in my life._

…

"Last week, Nervous proved his ruthlessness by voting out his close alliance member, Jenny," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds the audience, "But can Nervous win the title? Or is it too little, too late?" the host asks, stepping back to look up at the television monitor.

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

In terms of my feelings, I'm an open book; my cards are all out on the table. But in terms of my gameplay, no one knows what I am doing, or what I am going to do. It's day twenty-five, and it's every man for themselves. It's time to wake up guys and face the music, cause those candles are mine! _(smirks and playfully sways his shoulders)_ – I love it when I win.

…

"There you have it, folks, three very deserving candidates for the million," the Unsavory Charlatan notes, turning away from the television screen. He lets out a heavy sigh, "And then there's Pascal, the Mad Scientist with two PhDs, who is the reason why I took so many aspirins this season," the host reminisces; he takes a step forward. "Pascal downplayed his intelligence from the very beginning, but arguably proved himself to be the powerhouse of the entire game, where almost everything he said, goes…"

…

" _We're what?!" Vidcund exclaims, conversing with Pascal and Lazlo near the waterfall after Pascal has filled both of his brothers in on the plan._

" _You heard me," Pascal repeats, "We're keeping Loki."_

" _What?!" Vidcund shouts again, "He is not a pet, Pascal, and we are not keeping him!"_

…

 _The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the final vote and opens it up, sighing as he glances down at the last piece of parchment. "Third person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition is…Ajay," the Unsavory Charlatan says, revealing the final vote to them, which reads 'Ajay – the New Guy' on it. "Ajay, you'll need to bring me your torch."_

" _Seriously?" Ajay squeaks, unable to believe what he is hearing. Next to him, Pollination Tech #9 is covering his face, hoping to hide his horror._

 _Next to him, Pascal nudges Lazlo in the shoulder. "Blindside…" he whispers as Ajay walks behind them to grab his torch._

…

"To maintain control of his own destiny, Pascal betrayed three of his former tribe members, including his own brother, Vidcund, in what is known as the biggest move in the game so far…"

…

" _We got a problem and it's not pretty," Pascal stops for a moment, thinking this one over, "Well, actually it is," he reiterates, "We need to sacrifice Vidcund tonight to save our game."_

" _What?! No!" Lazlo outbursts._

" _Come on, Lazlo," Pascal speaks, "Loki's gone too far, he's gotten out of control," he states, watching as his brother shakes his head; refusing to match his gaze. "You saw what Loki did yesterday, he almost made your girlfriend cry! He's become a bully, and he's going to take Vidcund down with him if we don't stop this now!"_

 _Lazlo looks up, his face filled with hurt. "Pascal-"_

" _It's for his own good!" Pascal reasons, his argument growing, "We don't want him to become Loki's hand puppet and right now, he's pretty damn close," he states, "We have to cut down Loki's power, Lazlo, and regain control of this thing. And if we don't vote Vidcund off tonight, then we're the enemy and those three people out there will never trust us!" Pascal exclaims, pointing in the direction of the shelter. "If we don't make this move, we'll never redeem ourselves to them or those jury members and we'll never win this thing. After all, what's worse? Being the bully or being the one who just sat there and watched it happen?" he asks, challengingly._

…

 _The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box for the final time that day and retrieves the last vote. He opens it up and glances down at the piece of parchment. "Eighth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the third member of our jury is…Vidcund," he says, turning over the final vote, which is written in Lazlo's handwriting._

" _Holy shit," Circe whispers to Pollination Tech #9 on the jury._

…

 _Vidcund nods and turns back to his brothers, his face in a line. "I am so mad at you – I'm never going to forgive you guys! And there is no way that you two are ever going to win this thing, so I hope you're happy!"_

" _-I know I am," Circe whispers to Pollination Tech #9, unable to mask the smile that is shining on her face._

" _Okay Vidcund, you have to leave now," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, standing between Vidcund and his brothers as Vidcund continues to yell at them; Lazlo is cowering a bit, but Pascal looks unfazed. Finally, the Unsavory Charlatan sighs and gestures a few sims over to him, "Security!" he shouts._

 _Two security guards walk into the structure and grab Vidcund on both sides. "Hey – what are you doing?!" Vidcund shouts as they lead him out of the structure. Pascal and Lazlo can still hear their brother cussing at them from outside._

 _Pascal exhales and nudges his little brother. "So, do you think he's mad?" he asks; Lazlo glares at him._

" _-That was so messed up," Loki says behind the pair, looking positively dumbfounded_

…

"Pascal's Survivor resume is impressive, and includes an idol find, a challenge win, an idol play, and several successful blindsides," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, clasping his hands together in his signature stance, "As well as plans that were successfully executed weeks later…"

…

 _ **Pascal Curious  
** Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

 _Everybody wants to get rid of Loki, but I gotta tell you, I'm really enjoying this secret alliance with him. He does all the dirty work, and I get the credit cause no one likes him. Then I throw him under the bus before he catches on and seeks vengeance!_

…

 _The Unsavory Charlatan unfolds the final vote, looking it over. "Ninth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and fourth member of our jury is…Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan says, revealing the final vote to the crowd. "Loki, you'll need to bring me your torch."_

 _Loki nods and stands up, grabbing a hold of his torch. He passes by Pascal on his way to the exit. "Well played," he states._

…

"But will voting off his own alliance to level the playing field be enough to win the jury's votes?" the Unsavory Charlatan wonders, "Or will all Pascal's work fall short?" The host looks up and turns his attentions to the television monitor. A day twenty-five Pascal flashes onto the screen.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

I'm this close to the end - _(holds his thumb and forefinger a few millimeters apart) -_ I'm so close that I can feel it. Everything that I worked so hard for is coming to a close and I can see the end in sight. The jury may not like the strategy that I used, but if I make it to the end, I hope they can at least respect the way that I played. I'm only seven days away from that money, but I've never felt so far away from the goal.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan turns back towards the crowd and smiles. "Tonight, one contestant's Survivor dream is about to come true, and three contestants' dreams are going to be crushed," he announces, "Who will outwit, outplay, and outlast all the rest to take home the ultimate prize?" the Unsavory Charlatan questions, "There's only one way to find out, so let's watch," the host says; turning back towards the screen.

…

"I love you," Crystal confesses, pushing her lips onto her teammate and passionately kissing them. The person kisses back; the campsite dark and silent around them. Crystal pulls back and smiles, gazing into his brown eyes.

"I love you, too," Lazlo says, sitting up in the shelter, "What was that for?"

"I just…wanted to let you know," Crystal says, her eyes drifting to the bamboo floor.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Voting off Jenny tonight was rough, but I know it had to be done. After everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours, I just couldn't trust her anymore. Up until a few hours ago, I was set to go with her to the final three. But things change and people change, and you find out who really has your back and who doesn't. And Lazlo always has, so…yeah.

 _Day 25_

Pascal and Lazlo are walking back towards their campsite early the next morning, carrying two full water jugs. "Come on Lazlo, give me one good reason why I can't join the Mustache Club!" Pascal groans, setting the water jug in front of the shelter.

Lazlo raises his eyebrow. "Because you don't have a mustache and you're incapable of growing one?"

"I said one, not two," Pascal remarks, sassily crossing his arms.

"Hey Lazlo, I'm glad you're here," Crystal begins, getting up from her place inside the shelter, leaving Nervous alone. "Come on, let's head down to the beach."

Lazlo nods. "Okay."

"Great!" Crystal grabs Lazlo by the hand, stopping when she notices Nervous's face drop in front of her. All of sudden, Crystal stops and turns to her boyfriend. "Uh actually, can you give me a minute? Nervous and I really need to talk."

A few minutes later, Crystal and Nervous are sitting in front of the waterfall in the woods. "Look Nervous, I'm really sorry. I know you love me, and you've always been such a great friend, but I love Lazlo," Crystal gives a small sigh, having a hard time looking Nervous in the face.

Nervous nods, his expression unreadable. "I know," he speaks suddenly, the wind picking up around them, "I can accept that."

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

I can't accept that! _(throws hands up)_ This is insane! Lazlo didn't save Crystal – that was me; I did it all! If it weren't for me, her game would've been screwed over last night and I would've gone home. It's so frustrating. This whole thing is wrong! Well, now I have no choice; I gotta get rid of Lazlo, cause I have a feeling that he's going to ruin our entire game plan. And I can't let that happen, no matter what.

 _Reward Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, gesturing all four remaining survivors towards the center of the beach. The castaways step onto the bright yellow tribal mat and gaze up at the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together. "Alright, are you guys ready to get to your last reward challenge?" he asks them.

"Eh," Pascal states, all his teammates looking rather disinterested.

The Unsavory Charlatan glares at the survivors and starts to grumble under his breath. A few moments later, the Unsavory Charlatan clears his throat and forces a rather large grin. "Anyway, we're starting our last week out here, which means it's the perfect time to start thinking about how you're going to win this thing," the host begins, pacing over to the side of the beach. The survivors watch in wonder as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches behind a tree and pulls out a large easel and drags it towards the center of the beach. The host then pulls out a piece of white poster board and situates it on the easel.

"Now, I'm sure a lot of you are wondering where you stand with the jury," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, pacing in front of each of the contestants, "I can't tell you exactly who is going to vote for you, but I can at least give you the number of jury members who said they might cast a vote for you if you make it to the finals," the host says, grabbing the top of the poster board with his left hand, "And because I'm oh so nice, I even made a little chart here with each of your faces on it, ranking you in order from most likely to least likely to win."

"But aren't there only like five jury members?" Lazlo asks.

"Yeah, and the chart won't tell us anything about specific final two matchups, so isn't it kind of useless?" Crystal asks the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan steps back, a devious smirk on his face. "I have a feeling you won't be singing that same tune once you see this graph," he states, turning over the board in one swift motion; the survivors gasp at the chart in front of them. The host steps forward and grabs a pointer.

"As you can see here, five jury members said they would vote for Lazlo, four said they would vote for Crystal, three said they would vote for Nervous, and only one member said they would vote for Pascal."

"What?" Pascal calls out, "But that doesn't make any sense!"

"Now, now Pascal, don't be sad; it's still early. And I'll have you know that I am taking no pleasure in this whatsoever," the Unsavory Charlatan says, detracting the pointer and placing it behind his back. He turns his back to the survivors for a moment and does a few fist-pumps, before snapping a goofy selfie with the board. Pascal clears his throat behind him, causing the host to quickly turn around and calm his demeanor, "Anyway, these aren't in any way absolute certainties, and there is no way of knowing who considered voting for you – minus Lazlo, who knows it was everyone."

Crystal sighs and crosses her arms. "Well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who didn't give me their vote."

"In my case, I'm wondering who did," Nervous speaks up next to her.

"Based on this assessment, I can guarantee you Vidcund still hasn't forgiven me," Pascal tells his brother; his shoulders slouched.

"On that happy note, let's get to today's reward challenge!" the Unsavory Charlatan beams, throwing his hand to the side, enthusiastically knocking down the easel in the process. "For today's reward challenge, you will be working in pairs. I know this time it'll work out well, since the last partner challenge was a complete disaster," he notes.

"I have no idea the logic behind that assumption," Pascal groans from the sidelines.

Lazlo laughs. "Remember when we shot that mathematical music video?"

Everyone stops what they are doing and immediately turns to the pair. The Unsavory Charlatan glares at the Curious brothers, clearly irritated. "Anyway!" he shouts, "For this reward challenge, one person will be blindfolded while their partner instructs them through a difficult hedge maze," the host tells the survivors, "The first person to successfully make it through the hedge maze wins reward. Do you want to know what you're playing for?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks.

"HELL YEAH!" Pascal shouts from the sidelines; everyone immediately turns to him. "What? I was trying something different for a change."

"And we won't forget it, until it conveniently gets edited out," the Unsavory Charlatan responds, "As I was about to say, today the winning pair will take a private helicopter ride above the island."

Lazlo scrunches his forehead. "Is it safe?"

"Who knows!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, throwing his hands up, "But I have a feeling two of you are about to find out. In addition to the helicopter ride, each member of the winning pair will also receive the opportunity to pitch their case to a jury member of their choice, so no one is done yet," the Unsavory Charlatan states, rubbing his hands together and narrowing his eyes towards Pascal. "Worth playing for?" The survivors nod. "Good! Now we'll draw for partners, then each pair will decide who gets to call."

Five minutes later, the four remaining survivors are situated at their starting positions on the beach. Lazlo and Nervous are standing blindfolded in front of two identical hedge mazes while Crystal and Pascal are standing on two bamboo platforms above them.

The Unsavory Charlatan steps forward from his place between the two hedge mazes. "Alright, it's Crystal and Lazlo versus Nervous and Pascal. For reward…Survivors ready? Go!" he shouts, throwing his arm down.

"Alright, Lazlo, go forward!" Crystal shouts.

Lazlo turns to the right, stumbling on his feet a bit. "What?"

Pascal cups his hands around his mouth. "Nervous! Go towards the left and hug one side!" he shouts down to his partner, "Keep going until you find an opening!"

"Well, we are only a few minutes into this challenge and both teams already have very different approaches," the Unsavory Charlatan notes, "It'll be interesting to see which one works."

"Lazlo, go right!" Crystal shouts from her platform.

"Whoa!" Lazlo cries, tripping over his own foot. Lazlo falls into the sand, quickly lifting himself up with his hands. "Actually, it may be easier just to crawl through this thing."

Fifteen minutes later, both pairs are still struggling to get through the maze.

"Lazlo, you're going backwards! Turn around!" Crystal shouts.

"Straight, Nervous, straight!" Pascal shouts at the top of his lungs.

"Now this is just getting sad," the Unsavory Charlatan mumbles, slapping his face in frustration. The host trails his hand down his face, "I'll tell you what: The first person to make it through the maze gets this piece of pie," the host states, pulling a piece of lemon pie out of his inventory and placing it on the sand.

Lazlo stops in his tracks and sniffs the air. "Wait a minute, I know that smell…IT'S LEMON!"

Pascal shakes his head. "-Oh no."

The Unsavory Charlatan turns away from the pie and paces towards the ocean. "I know it's probably going to take a while for either one of you to make it through this but-" the host turns back around, finding Lazlo stuffing the entire piece into his mouth. Lazlo burps.

"Eh, not as good as the one from the trash," he notes, standing up and giving a shrug.

The host widens his eyes, clearly dumbfounded. "Well, in that case, Crystal and Lazlo win reward!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, throwing his hands up. Crystal jumps up and cheers.

Crystal climbs down from the platform, runs across the beach, and hugs her boyfriend; Pascal and Nervous joining them on the beach just moments later.

"Now, as part of this reward, each of you get to select one jury member to pitch to," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds the winning pair, "Lazlo, even though it makes no difference in your case, who's it going to be?"

Lazlo thinks this over for a moment before giving a small smile. "Vidcund," he states.

"Okay, so we're taking Vidcund and…?" the Unsavory Charlatan delays, gesturing to Crystal.

"-Loki," Crystal answers.

The Unsavory Charlatan throws his head back. "Oh no," he states, "Are you sure you want _that_? Could you _please_ pick a different combination?"

Crystal and Lazlo shake their heads.

The host sighs. "Well, alright. So much for this not being a complete disaster," the Unsavory Charlatan mutters, turning away. "Crystal and Lazlo, you two come with me," he states, gesturing them forward, "And Lazlo, before we go, you're gonna have to give me back that blindfold."

"But it looks so good on me!" Lazlo whines.

The Unsavory Charlatan groans before turning back to the losing pair. "As for the rest of you, I have nothing for you. All I can say is, I hope your loss wasn't a million simoleon mistake. Head back to camp and I will see you both at the next immunity challenge."

Nervous and Pascal both nod, defeated looks on their faces as they exit the beach.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

After this challenge, I know it's statically impossible for me to win now. So why am I still here? _(looks off-camera)_ – I'll tell you why, cause Pascal Curious doesn't give up! I'll find a way! I'll do something to change those jury members' minds! There's always hope…hopefully. _(laughs)_

 _Later that Afternoon_

"Wow, so this is the helicopter," Lazlo states, walking up to the bright pink helicopter with his girlfriend.

"Yeah," Crystal agrees, stopping next to Lazlo and gazing up at the vehicle, "But why does it have skull and crossbones painted on it?"

"Did someone order a case of sexy?" Loki announces, stepping up behind the pair on the beach and gesturing his hands towards his torso. "And uh, whatever the hell this is," Loki adds, pointing towards Vidcund, who is standing next to him. Vidcund glares and shoves Loki in the side with his elbow. "Oww!" he cries, grabbing his injured arm. "Careful, I'm thin-boned."

Crystal and Lazlo turn around, puzzled looks on their faces. "Wait," Crystal says, "You mean, we have to go on the helicopter ride _with you_?"

"I know, isn't it a dream come true?" Loki speaks up, "You know, if your dream was getting eaten by a giant wildebeest…" he trails off.

Vidcund tilts his head. "What is it with you and wildebeests?" he wonders.

"I don't know," Loki shrugs, "I just have so many questions about them."

Crystal waves her hands in front of her body. "Please, don't elaborate."

Lazlo sighs and turns back towards the helicopter. He gives a brave exhale. "Alright. Let's do this."

 _Meanwhile: Back at Camp_

"Well, that could've gone a lot better," Nervous says with a sigh, after he and Pascal arrive back on their campsite. Pascal nods and takes a seat down in the shelter. "I just can't believe that chart though. I mean, I thought I would get more votes than that!"

"Speak for yourself," Pascal grumbles, "I spent the last few days thinking I was the frontrunner, and here I am in last place," he sighs and lies down in the shelter, "Well I guess sometimes perception is not reality."

"Yeah…" Nervous trails off, before getting into the shelter next to him, "You want to know what I thought was weird though?" he asks.

Pascal sits up a bit. "What?"

"That all this time we've been under the assumption that Lazlo had no chance at winning this thing, when really, the jury loves him," Nervous says, wiping the sand off his hands, "I mean, with him still here, do either one of us really have a chance?"

Pascal sits up a bit more. "What are you talking about? Of course we do," Pascal answers, though his expression suggests that he isn't so sure.

 _Meanwhile: In the Helicopter_

"Woohoo! This view is incredible!" Lazlo shouts from his seat behind the pilot, a headset on the medical researcher's ears, "It's almost like we're on The Amazing Race!"

Behind him, Loki rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Yeah right. I'd never be caught dead on that show."

"So Lazlo, I think you're supposed to talk to me…?" Vidcund speaks up from the seat next to his brother.

"Nuh-uh-uh! No talking strategy until we arrive at our destination," the Unsavory Charlatan turns from the pilot's seat.

Vidcund leans back in his seat, his face turning a bit green. "Oh God, I don't like that he's flying this helicopter."

A few screams of terror later, the four passengers have arrived at their destination. Lazlo gives a sigh of relief as he steps out on the sand. "Whoo! Another island!" he shouts. Lazlo does a twirl before stopping in front of his brother. "Come on, let's go see it!" Vidcund shrugs and follows after him.

"Wait, don't go-" Crystal calls out after them, holding her hand out towards the diminishing scientists. She sighs and begins awkwardly playing with her hands.

"Well, I can see that you're as excited about this little trip as I am," Loki speaks up next to her, "So let's just get this over with," he groans, heading towards the opposite end of the beach; Crystal follows after him. "So girly, why did you pick me?"

"First of all, don't call me girly; second of all, I picked you because I know you would never consider voting for me."

Loki stops in his tracks and turns to the young townie, "Now that's not true, I did consider it, but at the end of the day, it just didn't make any sense," he confesses.

Crystal scrunches her eyebrows in confusion, "Why?"

"Look, I'll say what I said before: you haven't done anything," he states, throwing his arms down.

"But that's not true!" Crystal counters, "I flipped the entire game on its side, I was the one that got Pascal to switch!" Loki crosses his arms, "Look, I know that ultimately screwed you and Vidcund over, but I'm playing the game to win. And three days later, I still tried to save your ass!" she argues.

Loki stops for a moment and ponders this over. "Hmm, fair enough. I'll consider it. But honestly, I wouldn't worry about some people's votes right now. There's still a lot of game left."

 _Meanwhile: In the Woods_

Lazlo and Vidcund are sitting on top of a grassy hill, looking out at the scenery around them. "Geez this island is big," Vidcund comments into the silence, "No wonder why we could never get off it."

"Vid, I know you voted for me to win…but I want you to vote for Pascal," Lazlo speaks up suddenly.

Vidcund turns to his little brother, clearly puzzled. "What?"

"Pascal has played the best game out of everyone here. If anyone deserves to win, it's him."

Vidcund lets out a heavy sigh. "Lazlo-"

"Vidcund, I'm serious, Pascal hasn't stopped playing since he got here," Lazlo tells him, "And you're really upset about what we did, and you should be, but Pascal only did that because he cares about you," he says, watching as Vidcund looks down at the dirt, "Come on Vid, you know he deserves it. He's worked harder than the two of us combined."

"It's not about how hard he worked, Lazlo!" Vidcund shouts suddenly, his eyes filled with anger, "It's about right and wrong, and what he did to me, when I did nothing but look out for him, was sick! He doesn't deserve my vote; he doesn't deserve any votes!"

Lazlo stands up in a huff and looks down at his brother. "I can't believe you would do this! Are you so filled with hatred that you can't tell the difference between a game and our lives? We're not here to look out for each other, we were put on this island to win a million simoleons!" he shouts, "You knew from the very beginning that we all couldn't win, and we all agreed that if any of us made it to the jury, we would vote for the person that was the most deserving of the money. You said yourself that you were going to vote for the person that played the best game strategically," Lazlo reminds him, "Look me in the eyes and tell me that's not Pascal."

Vidcund rolls his shoulders back and slowly stands up. Lazlo watches as his brother gazes down at the ground, his forehead scrunched as he thinks this one over. Finally, Vidcund sighs and looks up at his little brother.

"Lazlo, I'm sorry, but I can't vote for Pascal."

Lazlo steps backward, trying to hide the glaze of disappointment that is spreading across his face. "I know," he nods, turning away from his brother's gaze. "You don't have to tell me twice."

"I'm glad you understand," Vidcund says, turning back towards the woods. "Oh, and Lazlo?"

Lazlo looks up, "Yeah?"

"I know you think Pascal's the mastermind, but if you ask me, your girlfriend's a bigger threat than our brother," Vidcund states, casually moving away from him.

Lazlo tilts his head, "Why do you say that?" he asks.

"No reason," Vidcund replies, stepping further towards the woods, "Just something to think about." Vidcund swerves past his brother and heads back towards the helicopter, a smile creeping on his face as Vidcund leaves his pondering brother behind.

"Huh," Lazlo says into the silence, his arms crossed over his torso as he stares intently at the ground, "I wonder what that means…?"

 _Later that Night_

Pascal and Nervous are sitting down in front of the campfire when Crystal and Lazlo step off a small speedboat and arrive back on the beach. Lazlo groans as he gently places his foot down in the sand. "I still don't get why we had to take three separate vehicles back here."

"Because this show is incredibly cheap?" Crystal suggests.

"Ah, that must be it," Lazlo replies as Pascal walks over from the campfire to greet them.

"Hey, it's about time you guys came back," Pascal comments, giving a small wave before stopping in front of his brother. "How was it?"

Crystal sighs, "Eh, it was alright. But I'm bushed after all that adventure," Crystal adds, stepping towards the shelter, "I think I'm going to go to bed," she states, throwing her hand up to greet Nervous. Lazlo watches as Crystal walks towards the shelter and out of ear-shot. Lazlo gestures Pascal forward.

"I talked to Vidcund," Lazlo whispers.

Pascal scrunches his eyebrows. "You did?"

"Yeah," Lazlo nods, moving his feet a bit.

"So, what did he say?" Pascal asks, an anxious expression on his face.

Lazlo sighs, "Well, he's still mad at you."

"-Obviously," Pascal moans, kicking the sand.

Lazlo scans the area, then lowers his voice once more. "-And he basically implied that we need to get rid of Crystal," he spews.

Pascal snaps his head up, his mouth slightly open in shock. "What?" he squeaks, "Is he allowed to do that?"

Lazlo shrugs, "Who knows? But he did."

"Is Vid trying to help us out?" Pascal questions, staring at the ocean, "Oh my gosh, is Vidcund trying to help _me_ out?" Pascal dives further, "He wouldn't…would he?"

Lazlo gives an overly enthusiastic shrug. "Don't ask me, that whole reward made absolutely no sense. He was yelling about you one minute, then before he leaves me in the woods, his entire demeanor changes, and he says that Crystal's a bigger threat than you."

"Uh-huh," Pascal says, attempting to follow along.

"-Then when I asked him why he said that, he said that there was no reason and it was just 'something to think about,'" Lazlo quotes, pacing a bit back and forth, "Now what are we supposed to do? Do we listen to Vid or not? I mean, he could be out for revenge. Maybe he's trying to wreck our game."

"My game, yes, but definitely not yours," Pascal concludes, "In terms of what we do next, I say we wait and see who wins immunity, but eventually we're going to have to get either Crystal or Nervous to turn on the other one to get someone out," Pascal says, stopping when he notices his little brother now staring down at the ground, "I mean, if that's okay with you," he quickly adds, "I'd love to keep Crystal, but if Nervous wins, we're going to have to vote her out."

Lazlo nods. "Yeah, it's fine," he tells Pascal, lifting his head up, "If Nervous wins immunity, then we'll vote out Crystal…I promise."

 _Day 26_

The sun slowly rises above the horizon, peaking gently into the shelter, causing all four of the remaining survivors to stir. Crystal yawns as she slowly lifts her head up from Lazlo's chest. She stretches out her arms and smiles when she sees the camera.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I feel great today. All this sun is definitely good for me. I never thought that I would feel this terrific this late in the game, but I'm glad I do. Just a week ago I was fearing for my life in this game, and now I'm starting to think, 'Hey, I might actually have a shot at this thing.'

...

Crystal smiles as she steps into the woods, unaware of the fact that Nervous is watching her every step of the way. "Hey Nervous," Lazlo greets, casually strolling past him. Nervous doesn't say anything. Behind him, Pascal is walking the entire charade.

"The level of paranoia that everyone has on this beach is insane," Pascal whispers to the camera, "Two people can't spend five minutes alone with each other without everyone else getting suspicious. And I have a feeling it's only going to get worse," he states, "But the good news is, since that chart was released yesterday, suddenly everyone's forgotten about the original plan to 'go after Pascal', so even if I don't win the immunity challenge today, I might still be okay," Pascal says, "Either way, I'm going to give it my all, cause after all the blindsides we've had, who knows what'll happen at tribal?"

 _Immunity Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, gesturing all four survivors towards the center of the beach. The Unsavory Charlatan stands near the base of the shoreline, some of the waves from the ocean tickling his calves. "Are you ready to get to today's immunity challenge?"

Pascal scrunches his forehead, "Who are you talking to?"

"All of you," the host states, gesturing out towards the ocean, his back still to the survivors, "I have a great back profile and I wanted you guys to see it. Anyway!" the Unsavory Charlatan continues, turning around and facing the survivors, "First thing's first, Pascal, I gotta take it back," he states, walking over to Pascal and removing the immunity necklace from the mad scientist's neck. The host gently places it on a nearby tribal stand, "And just like that, immunity is back up for grabs!"

The Unsavory Charlatan walks back towards the base of the shoreline and takes a deep breath. "For today's immunity challenge, all four of you will stand on a single balance beam above the ocean. You can only use your feet to stay on the beam," he explains, "Last one to fall wins immunity and is guaranteed a one and three chance of winning this game. Losers go to tribal council, where after twenty-seven days, one of you will become the eleventh person voted out of this game," the host states dramatically, "Sound good?"

"Does it matter?" Pascal asks, squinting his eyes.

"No," the host smiles. "Now everyone take your places. The challenge is about to begin!"

Five minutes later, all four of the survivors are seen standing on the wooden balance beam in the center of the ocean. "Alright, this is the ultimate test of endurance," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, wading near the shoreline as waves start to pick up near the survivors, "How bad do you want this?" he asks, wading towards the contestants, "We're about to find out! For immunity, Survivors ready…? Go!"

All four survivors are standing perfectly still on the beam. Suddenly, a small wave crashes into the balance beam, causing Pascal to immediately hold his arms out. "Oh God, there is no way this is safe," he mutters.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone is still standing in their exact same positions. "Wow, fifteen minutes already?" the host notes, "I'm impressed. You all must really want this," the Unsavory Charlatan comments, "I guess this challenge will be a test of who wants it most."

Lightning cracks the sky above them, as rain instantly begins pouring on them, soaking everyone from head-to-toe. "Come on, don't give in," the host states, standing up in the water, "Prove that you want to win this thing! You gotta dig deep if you want to last."

Thirty minutes later, everyone is now crouched down on the balance beam as the rain continues to fall on top of them. Lazlo loses his balance and falls on his butt. "Damn it!" Lazlo curses, stepping down from the balance beam and swimming back towards the shore.

"Lazlo's out!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, struggling to make his voice heard over the roaring winds, "And then there were three!"

Ten minutes later, Pascal, Crystal, and Nervous are still in the challenge. Pascal groans as he shifts his weight between his legs. "Man, I haven't been in this much pain since I gave birth," he says, looking up at Crystal, who is crouched next to him.

"-Then quit," she smirks.

Pascal laughs and shakes his head. "Not a chance, Vu."

Twenty minutes later, the survivors still stand. The Unsavory Charlatan walks closer to them, his arms crossed behind his back. "You guys have been out here for an hour and twenty minutes. I am impressed by your level of dedication," he tells them, "But only one of you will walk home with immunity, who will be it?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks, "Will it be the test subject, the business executive, or-not Pascal," the host finishes as Pascal slips off the beam and falls into the ocean.

"Aww man!" Pascal cries, after thrusting his head above the water. He swims back towards the shore and joins Lazlo on the sand.

The host smiles and walks closer to the two remaining survivors, the storm still heavy around them. "Who will win immunity? I am itching in anticipation!" Lazlo and Pascal turn to each other, disturbed looks on their faces.

Twenty-five minutes later, Crystal and Nervous are still crouched on the balance beam above the ocean, their two remaining tribemates staring intently at them from the shore.

"Nervous please, step down," Crystal begs, her face filled with pain, "They're going to get rid of me if I don't win this thing," she tells her friend.

"No way!" Nervous shakes his head, "I don't want them to can me!"

Crystal looks up, breathing heavily. "You're choosing _now_ to grow a backbone?" she questions; Nervous nods, "Good job."

Nervous smiles, "Thanks!"

Crystal groans as she moves her body up, hoping to find a more comfortable position. All of a sudden, the young townie loses her balance and leans her hands down on the beam to catch herself.

"Crystal touched the beam with her hands, so she is out – which means Nervous wins immunity!" the Unsavory Charlatan exclaims, throwing his arms up in the air victoriously.

"Damn it!" Pascal curses under his breath from the sideline; both he and his brother looking disappointed.

Nervous slowly stands up and gives a small cheer before doing a backflip into the ocean. A few minutes later, he has rejoined everyone on the beach.

"Nervous, come on over!" the Unsavory Charlatan states. Nervous nods and walks over to the host. The Unsavory Charlatan smiles as he clasps the necklace around his neck, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "And with that, Nervous has won immunity and is safe from tonight's vote," the host tells the others, "As for the rest of you, I will see you tomorrow at tribal council where one of you guys' games is about to be cut four days short."

Pascal, Crystal, and Lazlo nod before turning around and walking back towards their beach; Nervous following close behind. Crystal sighs, still out of breath from her previous endeavor.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Well, I lost, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that my chances of surviving to day twenty-eight are slim to none. My only hope is to get Pascal to flip and vote off his own brother. But come on, a plan like that would never work! _(smiles knowingly into the camera)_

 _Later that Night_

"Great job, Nervous," Crystal tells her friend once the four of them reach their campsite. Nervous smiles and gives an enthusiastic nod.

"Thanks," he beams, "But I did have some experience withstanding terrible weather conditions before. Stupid weather machine!" he curses, shaking his head a few times before walking towards the campfire. Crystal turns to the Curious brothers and shrugs before following after him.

Pascal and Lazlo both sigh as they sit down on the edge of the bamboo shelter. "So, it's Crystal tonight, right?" Lazlo asks his older brother.

Pascal nods. "Yeah," he confirms, "They'll probably vote for me and force a tie, so I better start practicing fire making," Pascal says, getting up from out of the shelter and heading into the woods, his stature droopier than normal.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Today's immunity challenge sucked. Nervous won immunity, which means we pretty much have to vote off Crystal tonight. But I like Crystal; she's a player, and as crazy as it sounds, I don't want to write her name down tomorrow. But I have to, because I really have no choice.

 _Day 27_

Crystal and Lazlo are lying down inside of the shelter, the light from the sun hitting them in the face, causing them to stir from their slumber. Crystal sighs and gives a small groan as she readjusts herself on Lazlo's chest. "This is probably the last day we're going to be together out here," she tells him, "That's sad."

"Yeah," Lazlo says, moving her closer, "But we made it farther than any other couple on this show, so that's something."

Crystal nods. "Yeah," she states, wrapping one of her arms around him. "Any chance I can convince you to vote off Pascal?" she questions.

Lazlo shakes his head, "No."

Crystal nods, her mouth in a line. "Well, I tried," she mutters as Nervous awkwardly approaches the shelter from behind.

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

Well, today's the last day I'm going to have to deal with all this coupley-stuff, cause hopefully Lazlo is going home tonight. I just gotta make sure Crystal is still with me on this, cause I need her if we're going to make it to the end.

...

"So, what's the plan?" Nervous asks Crystal once they are alone in the woods. "Are we voting for Lazlo or Pascal?"

Crystal sighs, hands on her hips as she starts playing with her feet a bit, "I don't know," she comments, "I mean, Lazlo is popular, but this might be our last chance to get rid of Pascal," Crystal says, "Even though that chart said he was in last place, he could still win this thing."

Nervous nods. "I agree, Pascal is scary," he tells his friend, trying to mask the disappointment that is forming on his face, "But are you sure this is what you want to do?" he asks her, "Cause if it is, there's no turning back."

Crystal's eyes trail to the ground as she starts thinking this over in her mind. After a few moments of kicking the dirt, Crystal looks back up at her teammate. "I uh…actually, can you give me a little time?" she asks, "I have to think this one over."

"Sure," Nervous says, a small spark appearing in his eyes. Nervous gives two thumbs up to the camera before exiting the premises. Crystal turns around and watches as her teammate walks off, leaving her alone.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I don't get it. Why am I having such a hard time getting rid of Pascal? Ever since the merge, I've wanted to take him out. But now that I'm finally getting the chance to, I can't. What's wrong with me? I can't keep him around. If I keep him around, he wins, so I have no choice; I have to vote Pascal off tonight. I can't vote off Lazlo. _(sighs)_ – I can't vote off Lazlo…

 _Later that Afternoon_

Crystal is walking through the woods, doing her best to avoid the piles of broken tree branches that have collected on the ground. Crystal stops, taking in the fresh air, as she stops to gaze at the waterfall. She continues walking, narrowing in on a small figure in the distance. The person is crouched down on the ground.

Crystal smiles as she approaches him. "Hey Pascal," she greets.

"Hey," Pascal states flatly, not bothering to look up from the twigs that he is snapping.

Crystal scrunches her eyebrows and cautiously steps forward, "Uh, what's up?"

"Nothing," Pascal answers quickly, "Nothing's up except the sky," he says, snapping the twigs harder, "Yeah, everything's perfect. All the hard work that I put into this is really paying off. In four days, someone's going to win this thing, and it's not going to be me," Pascal continues, throwing another twig into the dirt before standing up in front of his teammate. "Look, I'm sorry, I'm just all over the place today. This whole thing is just one gigantic mess and I'm having a tough time trying to figure out who to vote for tonight."

"Ah…you too, huh?" Crystal speaks up, surprisingly calm.

Pascal looks down at the ground and sighs, brushing his hands off on his swim trunks. "Look, you and I both know that we're each other's biggest competitor, but I can't stop thinking about everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours; everything that the jury said and – you know, the people they voted for?" Crystal nods, "And now I'm not sure either one of us has a chance at the title…and for some reason that makes me kind of sad," he confesses, "And I feel bad because I should be happy that Lazlo is a shoe-in for the million, but I'm not, cause I know I did more – _we_ did more – to win this thing."

Crystal stands in silence for a moment, taking in all that Pascal has said. Finally, she shifts her legs and looks up at him. "You're right. You're absolutely right; we did do more," she agrees, "But the jury is so bitter, they may not give it to either one of us!" Crystal cries. She places a hand on Pascal's shoulder and scans the area; lowering her voice a bit. "I didn't tell anyone else this, but Loki told me yesterday that the entire jury is going to vote for Lazlo if he makes it to the finals," she confesses.

"What?!" Pascal calls out, "But he's hardly done anything! He did whatever I told him to do," Pascal whisper-screams, "I made the decisions for him and he wins the title? That's not fair."

"I know, but what can we do?" Crystal asks him, "There's only an hour before tribal, we have to figure out something."

"Well, let's think about this logically," Pascal states, placing his hands on his hips. He begins pacing back and forth. "If we vote for each other tonight, it'll force a tie and we'll have to compete against one another in a fire making competition. The loser goes home and the winner advances to the final three," the scientist explains, "But if we do that, there's still no guarantee that the winner of the challenge will even make it to the finals. The only way to make sure that you and/or I have a chance at the million, is if we vote out Lazlo," Pascal says, holding his hands up to his aching forehead, "But I can't do that, then I won't have the numbers, and I'll be at the mercy of you and Nervous!" Pascal exclaims, turning away from his teammate.

Crystal picks her foot up and sets it back down, crunching down a pile of nearby leaves. "You know, it's actually kinda funny," she begins, "I know you guys always thought that Nervous and I were inseparable and that we would take each other to the end, but ever since Circe was voted out, in the back of my mind I always pictured you and I going up against one another at the final tribal council," Crystal reveals, moving towards him; Pascal immediately turning around when he hears this, "I mean, do you know how badass that would be? Two top competitors fighting for the million, where the jury has no choice but to vote for one of us because we're the only options?" she proclaims, her excitement fading as she gazes down at the dirt, "But it doesn't look like that's going to happen."

"I don't know…it might," Pascal speaks suddenly; Crystal lifts her head up and beams, "You know, if we get rid of Lazlo," he adds.

"You don't want to do it, do you?" Crystal asks, her expression saddening.

Pascal sighs and turns away from her once more. "It's not that I don't want to do it, it's just – I don't know if I _can_ do it," he says, "This is Lazlo we're talking about here; my brother, the guy that always had my back!" Pascal exclaims, throwing his arms out, "And if I betray him, he'll never forgive me. And honestly? I don't think I would be able to forgive myself!" he shouts, turning back towards the young townie. Pascal takes a deep breath and places a hand on her shoulder. "Crystal, this game is a constant struggle between your game self and your real-life self," he vents, "And if I get rid of Lazlo tonight, that's it – I've given myself to the game completely."

"Well, it sounds like you have a big decision to make," Crystal says, looking up from the ground, "I'll leave you to it," she states, giving a small wave to Pascal, before stepping backwards and exiting the premises. Pascal sighs and gazes down at the dirt.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Right now, so many thoughts are racing through my mind. Can I trust what Vid told Lazlo about Crystal being the frontrunner? Or is he just out to get me? Can I trust that the chart we saw at the reward challenge was accurate? Has Lazlo already caught up to me and would he win this thing if I took him to the finals? What if this is the last vote and we're really having a final three instead of final two? Does that mean that neither Lazlo nor I have a chance at winning if we're both sitting there in the finals, because we essentially had the same gameplay and our votes would be split, making it easier for the third person to win? _(stops to catch his breath)_ – Look, I love Lazlo. In terms of little brothers go, he's the best there is. But if I want to win this, and win this for us both, I might have to do it alone.

 _Tribal Council_

All four survivors walk into the tribal council area and set their torches and belongings down before taking their seats in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks up to them and smiles. "We'll now bring in the members of our jury," he announces, turning towards the archway, "Pollination Tech #9, Circe, Vidcund, Loki, and Jenny, who was voted out at the last tribal council," he states, as all five of the jury members take their respective seats. Jenny waves to the castaways.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together, turning his attention to the four remaining contestants. "Well, we've reached the final four, which means there's only four days left until the jury votes for a winner," the host reminds them, "After seeing where everyone stands with the jury, is it safe to say that you have no chance, Pascal?"

"I wouldn't say that," Pascal begins.

"-But it's true that you're in last place," the Unsavory Charlatan tells him, "There's five people on the jury, only two more will be added, so at most you'll receive three votes and that's not enough to win."

Pascal nods. "True, Chet, but you're assuming that these votes are accurate and that they're set in stone, and they might not be."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods and turns to another contestant. "Crystal, what Pascal is saying may have a kernel of truth in it. If that's the case, what can you do to secure votes on the jury?" he asks her.

"Well, the best thing you can do is play a complete game. Strategize, win challenges, try not to make anyone mad, and have a great social game," Crystal replies.

"Lazlo," the Unsavory Charlatan turns to the youngest Curious brother, "Crystal makes a great point here and addresses something that we haven't really talked about yet - the social game. I think a lot of times when people think about the elements of a great survivor, they tend to focus on the strategy and the physical challenges more than the social aspect of the game – which in my option, could make or break a contestant," the host explains, "When it all comes down to it: Is Survivor just a popularity contest?"

Lazlo shakes his head. "Definitely not," he says, "I think, in order to win Survivor, you have to be at least a little likeable, but if your strategy and your physical ability are in check, I don't see why you can't win the game."

"But if that was the case, then wouldn't Pascal be in the lead?" Nervous speaks up next to him.

Lazlo shrugs. "I mean, I don't think that chart was necessarily accurate. If it was, I don't understand why so many people would vote for me."

"Because you haven't stepped on any toes," Nervous replies, "That, and you're super likeable. I mean, I'm having a hard time not smiling when I'm talking to you right now!"

"Pascal, this has got to be rough," the Unsavory Charlatan says, redirecting his gaze to the mad scientist, "Your little brother is more likeable than you."

Pascal forces a smile and throws his arms up. "Hey, if I was worried about that, I wouldn't be living with the two of them. It's just something that I have to deal with."

"Fair enough," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning towards the group, "Well, there's only four of you left and all of you are really tight, so it should be interesting to see how this turns out. And with that, it is time to vote. Lazlo, you're up first," the host says, pointing to the medical researcher.

Lazlo nods and stands up from his seat; Pascal and Crystal exchange glances with each other as soon as he leaves, somber looks on their faces.

Lazlo walks up to the voting station and writes Crystal's name down on the piece of parchment; he holds it up to the camera, frowning. "Hey, I'm sorry that we have to vote for each other tonight. You know it's nothing personal, but I can't get rid of my brother. Good luck, babe." Lazlo folds up his vote and sticks it inside the voting box.

Crystal stands up as soon as Lazlo returns and makes her way over to the voting station. She sighs as she uncaps the black marker and writes Lazlo's name down on the piece of parchment. She holds it up to the camera. "I'm putting total faith in your brother that he doesn't vote for me tonight, so that you and I won't have to go head-to-head with each other. Lazlo, you're a great guy, and the only thing you wanted was for me to keep Pascal around. I'm doing that tonight, so hopefully now, we're even. Love you," Crystal waves to the camera, before casting her vote and heading back to her seat.

Nervous stands up next and walks over to the voting station. He uncaps the pen and writes Lazlo's name down on the piece of parchment. He holds it up to the camera. "Oh Lazlo, why didn't you team up with us when you had the chance?" he asks, shaking his head in pity as he folds up his vote and places it into the box.

Nervous sits down as Pascal shakily stands up from his seat. Lazlo smiles when he catches Pascal looking down at him. Pascal nods and nervously waves back, before slowly making his way over to the voting station. Pascal places his hands gently on the table and dreadfully looks down at the piece of parchment that is situated in front of him. He takes a few deep breathes before picking up the black marker and writing the person's name down on the piece of parchment.

"You are one of the best people I have ever met in my life, and I am a big, sleazy slime-ball, and that's why I have to vote you out. I thought I had no chance at winning this thing, but because of you, I do," he sincerely tells the camera, "It was an honor playing with you. Next time, I promise I won't be as big of a jerk," Pascal says, his eyes starting to water a bit.

Pascal sighs as he sits back down in his seat, both Crystal and Lazlo looking right at him. Pascal continues to stare straight ahead, not saying a word. In no time, the Unsavory Charlatan returns with the voting box and places it on the podium. He gently rests his hand on the lid.

"Once the votes are read the decision is final, the person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll read the votes," he states, opening up the voting box and pulling out the first piece of parchment. "First vote – Crystal," the host says, revealing the first vote to the survivors. Crystal nods.

"Second vote – Lazlo," the Unsavory Charlatan states, showing the vote to the group. "That's one vote Crystal, one vote Lazlo – two votes left," he announces, reaching into the voting box once more. The host pulls out another piece of parchment. "Third vote – Lazlo," he says, opening the vote up. The vote has a drawing of a heart next to his name.

"So, here's where we stand," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, pulling his hands behind his back. "Right now we have two votes for Lazlo, one vote for Crystal, and one vote left. If the last vote is for Crystal, we will have a tie and we will be forced to do a tiebreaker," he explains, Pascal is already starting to tear up in front of him, "If not, then Lazlo will become the eleventh person voted out of this game," he states, "I'll read the vote."

Pascal's legs start shaking as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box for the final time that night. He slowly pulls out the folded piece of parchment and carefully unfolds it, gazing down at the name written inside. The Unsavory Charlatan lets out a large sigh. "Eleventh person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the sixth member of our jury is…Lazlo," he states, revealing the final vote to the crowd. The vote is written in Pascal's handwriting and has the words "I'm sorry" written on it, as well as a sobbing smiley face. Pascal bursts into tears before he even sees it.

All eyes turn to Lazlo, who looks surprisingly unfazed. "Okay, that's a rather odd reaction," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, turning towards the youngest Curious brother, "Lazlo, you don't seem surprised."

"I'm not," Lazlo shrugs, gesturing to Pascal, "-He told me this was going to happen. He said he didn't want me to be blindsided." The members of the jury look to each other, shocked.

"Well Lazlo, with that, it's time to go," the host says, turning towards the exit, looking quite surprised as well.

Lazlo nods and stands up from his seat, Pascal and Crystal immediately standing up with him. Pascal opens his arms up, tears streaming heavily down his face. He is crying so hard that he can't even speak. "It's okay, Pascal. It's going to be okay," Lazlo says, grabbing his brother by the shoulders and giving him a smile. He pulls him into a hug, "Get it together, you'll be fine," he promises, giving his brother a few consoling pats on the back.

Crystal pulls Lazlo into a hug. "Bye babe," she says, kissing him on the cheek.

"Bye!" Lazlo says, before crouching down a bit to give Nervous a handshake. Lazlo bends down and grabs his torch and belongings before making his way over to the archway.

Lazlo sighs as he turns back around, finding Pascal still sobbing into his hands; Crystal has her arm wrapped around him. "Come on Pascal," Lazlo says, trying his best to cheer him up, "You gotta win now, or else I'm never going to forgive you! – I'm just kidding, I totally would," he says, waving it off.

Suddenly, Lazlo starts coughing. He holds his stomach and wrenches forward, a cockroach flying out of his mouth and landing on the floor, right in front of the remaining contestants. Everyone watches as the cockroach starts walking around.

"How is that thing still alive?" Crystal wonders.

"Lazlo is superhuman," Pascal awes, giving a small smile between sniffs. Lazlo catches his brother's eyes and nods in agreement, a large smile on his face.

Lazlo places his torch in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks up at him, laughs, and shakes his head.

"Lazlo Curious, a.k.a. the Human Garbage Disposal, the tribe has spoken," he says, snuffing out Lazlo's torch in one swift motion, "It's time for you to go."

Lazlo nods and turns to the other survivors. "WOOHOO! I am going to eat so much garbage!" he shouts, grabbing his things and making a beeline for the nearest crew buffet table.

The Unsavory Charlatan stands there, puzzled, an astonished look on his face as he hears munching noises in the background. "Man, I've never seen anyone so happy to be voted out…and YOU BETTER NOT BE EATING MY SPONGECAKE!" he shouts into the night. "Anyway," he states, calming down upon remembering that there are others still present, "If tonight has taught us anything it's that no one, not even family, is safe. Also, Lazlo is capable of eating garbage, but I think we already knew that," he adds, gazing at the jury as well, "After twenty-seven days of playing this game, one question remains: What sacrifices are you willing to make to win this thing, and when have you gone too far?" he states, pausing dramatically to allow the survivors to ponder these words over.

"Uh…isn't that two questions?" Pascal speaks up next to him.

"And Pascal is back!" the host completes, "Now get out of here before I turn on the sprinklers," he threatens, pointing at the contestants. "Oh, and congratulations on making it to the final three."

"Thanks," Loki speaks up from the jury.

The Unsavory Charlatan frantically turns his head to the right. "Not you!" he snaps.

"Damn it!" Loki curses, giving his fingers a snap, "I thought for sure that would get me in," he mutters.

"Pack up your things and head back to camp, you still have plenty of game left," the host says, turning back to the three remaining survivors.

The survivors nod and grab their belongings before exiting out of the tribal council area together.

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Closing Words_

When I think about my time on the show, I have nothing but nice things to say about everything and everyone. I had so much fun and I would definitely do it again in a heartbeat. I don't regret anything, I did as well as a guy like me could do. This game is not built for the Lazlos of the world, it's built for the Pascals and the Crystals. I wish everyone luck – I'm not mad at anyone who voted for me. Pascal, I really appreciate everything that you did for me on the show, as both a brother and as a magnificent part of our dynamic alliance duo – I wish you luck. I'm going to try my best to convince Vidcund to vote for you, so wish _me_ luck. And in the meantime, I'm just going to keep on stuffing my face until you and Crystal make the finals. Take your time, I got a fast metabolism.

 _Next time on Survivor…_

… _Pascal is now on his own…_

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

I've done it; I've outlasted all my siblings and now I am officially on my own! _(throws his hands down)_ – Crap.

… _but is it too much for him to handle?_

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

If I don't make it to the finale, then this whole thing was for nothing. _(throws arms out)_ – And that would be the most depressing thing that's ever happened to me. _(thinks about this for a moment)_ – Well, maybe not the most depressing thing, but it would at least be in the top ten!

…

"And Pascal is down!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, as Pascal falls to the sand, visibly sobbing into his hands.

 _All that and more, next time!_


	10. Episode 10: Fight to the Finish

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Ten –** _Fight to the Finish_

The Unsavory Charlatan bows as he stands in front of the television screen; the audience dead silent after watching what just occurred on the plasma. "Wow. What an emotional tribal council," the host begins, "As you can see, this was a particularly difficult vote-off for both Pascal and Crystal, and the castaways all seemed to take it very hard – well, except for Nervous, but that was for an entirely different reason," he laughs, "I know a lot of people thought that Lazlo would win this thing, so I'm not surprised that so many of you look disappointed that he just got sent home. Obviously, we wish him the best," the host says, bowing down in silence once more.

"On a lighter note, before we head into the second part of our finale, I wanted to share something with all of you," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the audience, taking a step forward. "While we were busy working on the early stages of this show, we received an audition tape from none other than Pascal Curious, which was totally unnecessary, since we had already cast all three of the Curious brothers at that time," he explains, stopping to let out a heavy sigh, "Anyway, here's what Pascal sent in…" he trails off, turning to gaze at the TV; the audition tape flashes onscreen.

A headshot of Pascal appears on the screen. "Hi, I'm Pascal," he greets, shakingly holding up the camera, "And I think my brothers and I should be on the next season of Survivor because…well, honestly, we have nothing but time until the new season of _Simosis_ airs," Pascal states, giving an enthusiastic smile.

The tape awkwardly transitions to the next scene. "Anyway, here's Lazlo," Pascal says, flipping the camera around and zooming in on his brother, who is snoring and drooling face-first on the floor. Pascal turns the camera back to his own face. "Yeah, he gets all the ladies," he beams, moving to another place in the house.

"And this is Vidcund!" Pascal states, walking into the bathroom and zooming in on his brother, who is coming out of the shower. Vidcund immediately jumps back when he sees him.

"Pascal! What the hell-?" Vidcund shouts, attempting to cover himself up with the shower curtain.

"Relax, it's only a face shot," Pascal assures him, "Now, is there anything that you would like to say to the hundreds of people that may be watching?"

"Get out of here!" Vidcund growls.

Pascal sighs. "You said that last time!"

"OUT!" Vidcund snarls, pushing Pascal out the door. "Oh, and this better not be for some stupid reality show!" he shouts in the background.

Pascal shakes his head and laughs. "Yeah…he's a riot."

The tape then jumps to a shot of Pascal outside of the Curious residence.

"And this, my friends, is our house," Pascal says, gesturing to the gigantic five-story structure in the backdrop. "It's shaped to resemble all of my hopes and dreams. As you can see, it makes a dramatic decline on that side," he says, pointing to the left side of the house. Suddenly, Pascal turns around. "HEY YOU! GET THE HELL OFF MY LAWN!"

"It's sand, dumbass!" a voice that sounds like Loki's yells in the background.

"Haha, yeah. That's Loki," Pascal says, turning his camera to face the mailbox. Sure enough, Loki is standing next to it, glaring, with his arms folded. Pascal turns the camera back to face-cam. "He usually comes by here twice a day and steals our newspaper," he explains, "Interesting enough, he only comes when Vidcund's home," Pascal scratches his chin twice in a ponder; he shrugs, "Eh, it probably means nothing."

The screen flashes to Pascal standing in front of a fresh view on top of the gigantic hill on Cover Up Road. "And that's it. That's us!" he exclaims, moving his left arm in a circle, "Pretty exciting, huh?"

"No!" Loki calls out in the background.

Pascal turns in the direction of the complaint. "Nobody asked you!" he shouts, "Whoa!" Pascal proclaims, the image on camera showing what appears to be the view of someone rolling off the hill to the Road to the Nowhere.

The screen goes black.

"Yeah…" the Unsavory Charlatan says, turning back to the audience and away from the television screen. "I'm so glad that footage survived the fall," he remarks, rolling his eyes.

The Unsavory Charlatan smirks and clasps his hands together. "Anyway, now we're down to the final three," he informs them, "Who will win the million simoleon prize? Will it be Crystal, Nervous, or Pascal?" he asks, rolling back on his heels. The host turns and gazes at the television screen, "Let's watch…"

…

The final three contestants arrive back at their campsite, dragging their feet through the sand. Crystal sighs as she slowly removes her handbag and tosses it carelessly into the shelter. Nervous groans and plops himself down in the structure, completely exhausted. Crystal and Nervous look up, now noticing Pascal lagging significantly behind them. Pascal stops at the shelter and hangs his torch up against it. "Well, he's gone," Pascal speaks up, not bothering to face the others. "Lazlo's gone."

Pascal sighs and walks past his other tribe members. Crystal quickly holds her hand out to him, "Pascal, wait-" Pascal vanishes into the woods.

Crystal turns and looks to Nervous; he shrugs.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

I've done it; I've outlasted all my siblings. Now I'm officially on my own – no Jenny, no Lazlo, no Vid… _(trails off and sighs)_ – They're gone now, and if I miss them, I only have myself to blame. – So thanks Pascal. _(sniffs and wipes tears away from his face)_

 _Day 28_

There is a downpour on the campsite, hitting every inch of the area in sight. All three of the survivors are seen huddling together inside the shelter, wearing every piece of clothing they brought with them to keep warm. Crystal moves inward towards the center, trying her best to avoid any additional water droplets from hitting her already wet lavender jacket. Crystal shivers and slowly hides her face in her buff.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

We voted off Lazlo last night and everyone's been taking it real hard. Add that to the fact that it's been raining nonstop since we got back from tribal, and you have a pretty miserable situation. Look at it! _(points up at the rainfall)_ – Is this punishment? Am I being punished for voting out my boyfriend yesterday? If so, I'm sorry Will Wright! _(turns back towards the camera)_ – Yeah, it's been a pretty dreary day, but hopefully things will turn around soon.

…

A few hours later, Nervous slowly opens his eyes; the rain starting to let up. "Well, so much for that being the worst sleep I've ever had," Nervous tells the other two. Nervous looks up, screaming when he sees a new face staring back at him. "AHH!" the test subject cowers and grabs onto Crystal.

"Greetings survivors!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, gazing down at the three castaways who are flashing him looks of terror, "I'm glad everyone's still alive, because it's time to participate in yet another Survivor tradition!"

"Oh no," Pascal groans, "Is this the part where we eat worms?" he asks.

The Unsavory Charlatan's face falls. "No," he glares. "Today you're going to take a trail up a mountain and honor all of your fallen comrades – you know, all of the people that have failed to get to where you are today," he explains, "While walking up the mountain, you'll encounter each of their torches. You will stop at every one and reminisce about the person whose name is on it. When you're done, you'll collect all the torches and put them in a large pile."

Pascal scrunches his forehead, "Why?'

"So I won't have to do it later," the Unsavory Charlatan quickly responds, "Then after all that, you'll return back to your campsite. Sound good?" he asks.

"I guess," Nervous shrugs.

"Great! Let's go!" the Unsavory Charlatan states, leading them towards the mountain.

 _Five Hours Later_

"Geez, why did it take so long to get here?" Pascal groans, slowly dragging his feet as he walks behind Nervous and Crystal.

"Why are you asking us? You were there!" Crystal moans. Suddenly, her eyes widen as she sees the first torch. "Hey look! It's General Buzz's torch!"

"Hey yeah!" Pascal cries, walking over to gaze up at it. "You know, he probably would've been able to get pretty far if he hadn't have thrown our map down a hole…"

 **General Buzz Grunt  
** _Strangetown General/Local Nutcase_

How would I describe my time on the show? Wild, irritating, and maybe a little bit gassy. But did I enjoy it? No. I told you: Never call me again!

…

"Erin, Erin, Erin," Crystal says, shaking her head when she comes across the next torch on their trail, "That girl just did not like me."

"I think it's cause she likes Lazlo," Nervous adds.

"I think it's cause she's nuts," Pascal attempts to reason.

Crystal shrugs. "Eh, I think it's a little bit of both."

 **Erin Beaker  
** _Self-Proclaimed Psychic_

I came to Survivor with my brother, thinking that it was going to be really easy to hypnotize these people into giving me the money, but unfortunately, that was not the case. I had a great time though, and I look forward to my next adventure, as long as it's Crystal-less. _(smirks)_

…

"Hey, it's Ajay!" Nervous speaks up, glancing up at third wooden torch. The three finalists gather around it.

Crystal scrunches her forehead, "Who?"

Pascal snaps his fingers and points to her, "Exactly!" he chimes, "We just referred to him as 'the new guy.'"

 **Ajay Loner  
** _New Guy/Who?_

Phew! I am so glad to be out of that place. Those people were crazy! Are you sure I wasn't apart of some mental hospital retreat? _(shakes head)_ Anyway, can I please go back to the family bin now? My friends miss me. – And yes, I do have friends.

…

"Olive! Oh Olive," Crystal says, wrapping an arm around Nervous as she attempts to console him. "I remember when she left us. I was really sad about that."

"Yeah," Pascal seconds, gazing up at the elderly woman's nameplate, "But at least she's happy now, right Nervous?"

Nervous nods, slowly wiping tears away from his face as he looks up at his mother's torch. "Yeah," he squeaks, "She's with dad."

 **Olive Specter  
** _Retired Serial Killer_

Well, I never pictured myself exiting this way on Survivor, but I guess some things just come and go. I enjoyed my life both on and off the show, and I wish my son, Nervous, the best of luck in the future. I don't know if I'll ever come back to Strangetown, cause I am enjoying the afterlife, but if I do, I'll let you know.

…

"Speaking of my dad, here he is!" Nervous Subject states, gesturing to his father's torch. "Well, here's his torch," he quickly corrects.

"Your dad was not really the cutthroat player that I thought he would be, but I'm glad, because if he was, we would probably all be dead," Crystal says, giving a sharp nod, "But he was really fun to talk to."

Pascal nods. "Yeah, I'm glad we were able to see him again after that unfortunate incident."

 **Grim Reaper  
** _"Death"/Likes Long Walks on the Beach_

Death. What can really be said about me? Am I a person? Am I a concept? Am I an overpriced SUV? Well, for one thing, I love long walks on the beach and I love a sense of adventure. I love forming new relationships and getting rid of people I don't like. Does that make me a bad person? Maybe, but who asked you?

…

Crystal, Nervous, and Pascal groan as they walk up a long stone staircase leading up the side of the mountain. The trio stops when they reach the top, crouching down towards the ground to catch their breath. "Whoo! We reached the jury!" Pascal cheers, pointing up at Pollination Tech #9's nameplate. Crystal and Nervous smile and immediately gather around it.

"PT! Ooh! I love PT!" Crystal choruses, bringing her hands together.

"Really?" Pascal speaks, "You better not tell Jenny."

Crystal gives Pascal a strange look. "Not like that," she states.

"Oh PT, what a nice guy," Nervous says, staring up at his fellow tribemate's torch, "I was only with him for a few days, but he always knew how to cheer me up."

"Yeah," Pascal agrees, "PT had such a great attitude. He was a great teammate, too," he adds, "I'll never forget that time he won us our first tribal immunity by trying to hug the Grim Reaper," Pascal awes, giving his head a shake as he reminisces, "What a neat guy. Although he still never gave me his alien powers."

Crystal turns to Pascal, a puzzled expression on her face. "Well, he'll definitely be missed."

 **Pollination Tech #9 Smith  
** _Retired Pollination Technician/Alien_

Wow. I can't believe I made it to the jury. I can't believe I even got this incredible opportunity in the first place! When you're eighty-nine years old, there are so many things that you think you can't do anymore, and just to know that someone as old as me was able to come out here and survive, makes me feel more alive than I ever have before. So, thanks for the adventure.

…

"Circe!" Crystal beams, approaching the young scientist's torch; the two guys cower a bit.

"Man, it makes me shiver just looking at it," Nervous says, grabbing onto Pascal.

"Circe, you were one hell of a player and I am so glad that we were on the same side," Crystal says, grabbing onto the torch and looking up at her name. "If I ever need help beating up a gang of people, I know who to call."

Pascal nods. "Exactly. That woman was scary, but she's always been a fighter," he reminisces, "And if she was still here, she probably would've made it all the way to the end."

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

Damn it! Is that a good way to start? How could I lose to those lame excuses for scientists? I mean, plant biology? What the hell is that?! _(takes a deep breath)_ – Well, as you can clearly tell, I'm very disappointed that I didn't win the money and I couldn't shove it in my ex-husband's stupid, ugly face, but there are more important things in life. Sure, I can't think of any right now, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. For now I'll just keep standing by, waiting for the perfect opportunity to seek my revenge. _(sighs)_ I love my life.

…

"Viddy!" Pascal playfully screams, throwing his arms around his brother's torch in a hug, "Oh Viddy! Why did I let you go? Why? WHY? WHY?!" he shouts, throwing his head down in a sob. "Oh right, cause Loki won immunity and I wanted to protect you," he adds, gazing back up at his brother's torch, "Please forgive me!" he cries.

"Ah yes, Vidcund," Nervous begins, approaching the plant biologist's torch, "You know, for someone who was so pessimistic, he really seemed to enjoy this show. I mean, maybe not openly, but he seemed like he had a good time…you know, up until the blindside," Nervous states, awkwardly turning away.

"Honestly, Vidcund would've been able to make it a lot further if he hadn't have attached himself to Loki," Crystal tells the others, "Vidcund was pretty nice and Loki was pretty mean. I'm still trying to figure out that relationship…"

Pascal shakes his head and waves it off. "Don't bother. Fifteen years later and I still don't know what the hell is going on," he says, before turning his attentions back to Vidcund's torch, "But I'll always look out for you, Vid. You know that."

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

What can I say? Really, what can I say? I don't even know where to begin with this monstrosity. I get knocked out at my lab, I wake up, and I'm on an island with my brothers and this guy that I hate that's obsessed with me. Then I'm put on a tribe whose name implies that I suck, I get vomited on, then I hook up with my ex to get her vote, and then sleep with her husband the same week. And finally, on day eighteen, I get blindsided by my brothers. How would I describe an experience like that? Simple. To my psychiatrist _. (gets up and takes off his microphone)_ Alright, we're done here.

…

"Loki Beaker, the self-proclaimed super genius that sleeps with a blankie," Crystal recalls, turning to the others with a smile as they all surround Loki's torch.

"Its name is Cuddles," Pascal adds in point.

Nervous nods. "Yeah, it's blue and I hid it in my bedroom."

"What?" Pascal states.

"-Nothing," Nervous says, shifting his eyes from side to side, "He can have it back once he gives me the Cheetos."

"Ookay," Crystal speaks up, turning her attention back towards the situation at hand. "Anyway, Loki was kind of an odd player. I thought he was going to be a lot bigger threat than he actually was. I mean, he's a professional villain, and the worst thing he did was make fun of me."

Pascal shrugs his shoulders. "Yeah, and that was probably only because of all the unspoken sexual tension between you two."

Crystal and Nervous freeze in place for a moment, before turning to Pascal in shock; their eyes wide like saucers.

"No," Crystal shakes her head and gives a shiver, " _Definitely_ not."

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

Another confessional? Man, it's about time you guys let me speak! You know, this may surprise you, but I really like the sound of my voice. It's really…hot. _(sits up and awkwardly looks around)_ – Uh, can you edit that last part out? I don't want it to be used in court. As I was saying, Survivor is a lot like a chess game; you have players and you have pawns. _(stands up and slams his hands down on the table)_ And then you have this stupid guy named Pascal who thinks he's a better scientist than you are and he doesn't want you to date his hot brother because apparently he thinks _I'm_ a bad influence that has anger issues! Do I look like a bad influence to you _? (narrows his eyes at someone off-camera)_ – WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'YES'?!

…

Crystal, Nervous, and Pascal walk another mile around the mountain, each of them carrying a few torches, groaning as they start to feel winded. "Oh man, how much further?" Pascal asks his teammates, "I feel like I've been walking forever."

Nervous turns towards Pascal and Crystal, leading the pack. "I think we're almost there," he tells them, "Just a little bit further."

Crystal moans as she flops down on the side of the mountain, leaning her back up against the gigantic wall of rock. She places her hands on her hips, trying to catch her breath. She swings a tad to the side, a familiar item catching her eye.

"Oh my gosh, Jenny!" Crystal speaks up, immediately pushing herself off the wall and walking over to her former alliance member's torch. Crystal smiles as Pascal and Nervous join her. "Jenny Smith, what a great teammate," she says, "You know, I don't think I've ever met anyone so determined in my life. I remember when she got stuck out in the ocean during that puzzle challenge; the very next day, she spent the whole morning practicing her form because she didn't want to let us down again."

Nervous smiles. "Yeah, Jenny was really nice. She was one of the only reasons why I stayed here after my mom died," he confesses to the others, "She had this warm presence, mixed with this killer Momma bear vibe that made you never want to mess with her."

Pascal laughs. "That's my sister, all right," he nods, "She would do anything for her children," Pascal adds, before reaching over to the top of Jenny's torch and giving it a delicate pat. "I love you, Jenny."

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Field Researcher/Mother of Two_

When I arrived here on day one, so many people saw me as the softy mom who wasn't going to last very long. After everything I've done in this game, it's safe to say that I no longer have that reputation. I'm a fighter, I outlasted Death, and I went from being in the minority alliance to being in control of the whole operation. It didn't have the ending that I had planned, but sometimes in life, it's more about the things you've learned and the people that you got to know along the way, than the goal. I am very lucky in all aspects of my life, and Survivor allowed me to see that.

…

"And last but not least, our very own Lazlo Curious," Crystal announces, approaching the eleventh and final torch. "Lazlo, you and I knew from the very beginning that we were probably going to be playing on separate sides the entire time, but that never stopped you from lending me a hand when I needed you," Crystal says, her eyes watering. Nervous walks up behind Crystal and wraps his arm around his friend, who has buried her face into her hands.

Pascal turns and walks over to her, having a hard time facing his brother's torch as well. The three of them do a group hug.

Pascal sighs and slowly steps away from Crystal and Nervous, gazing up at Lazlo's torch. "Lazlo, you are an amazing person who loves life and is an absolute joy to be around," he begins, staring as though he is talking to Lazlo himself, "You were my rock on this journey and everything we did in this game, we did together. You had such compassion for everyone, so much so that I'd be lucky to even have a fourth of the heart that you do," Pascal confesses, tears forming in his eyes, "The hardest thing I ever had to do was get rid of you, and even after I did, you still treated me like the kind brother that you are. I know you always said that this game wasn't made for people like you, but I'm so glad you were a part of it. Just because you didn't make it to the end, doesn't mean that you were any less important to the story. Thanks, buddy." Pascal hugs the torch.

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

Survivor is a whirlwind of emotions that takes your mind to a million different places, and it's a Phrenologist's dream come true! _(laughs)_ This experience was as crazy as I wanted it to be; it was the ultimate test of insanity…and I passed! Who would've guessed?! _(shrugs)_ The best part is, I got to share this opportunity of a lifetime with my friends and my family, and I got to eat a lot of really great food. In the end, it doesn't matter to me that I didn't win – because I didn't need to. The journey was my real prize. _(turns and looks at someone off-screen)_ – And you can go ahead and put that little tidbit on an inspirational poster if you'd like.

…

An hour later, Pascal, Crystal, and Nervous arrive at the top of the mountain; the moonlight shining down on them. They sigh, deeply out of breath, before setting all the torches down on a rock at the very center. The Unsavory Charlatan gets up from out of his luxurious satin armchair when he sees them and walks over to the three remaining survivors.

"Congratulations! You have completed this Survivor ceremony," the host informs them, "Now you will head back to camp and rest up for your final immunity challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan says, gazing up at the sky.

Suddenly, the mountain starts to rumble. "What the hell is that?!" Pascal attempts to yell over the commotion as Crystal latches onto him. The survivors look positively terrified.

"Oh, don't mind that, it's just my helicopter!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts.

"YOUR WHAT?!" Pascal yells louder.

"MY HELICOPTER!" the host shouts at the top of his lungs as the helicopter moves closer to the mountain. The door of the helicopter opens and a rope ladder is thrown out the side of it. The Unsavory Charlatan grins as he races over to the edge of the mountain and grabs a hold of the ladder. "Well, I'll see you guys later."

Nervous runs forward, waving his hand up. "Wait! Can we come?" he asks him.

"Nope. Bye!" the Unsavory Charlatan rapidly responds, climbing up the rope and heading into the departing helicopter. The three survivors stand by, watching as the helicopter disappears into the night sky.

"What a jerk," Nervous states.

"Yes! YES!" Pascal agrees, his face lighting up, "Oh, I love you, Nervous!" Pascal beams, wrapping his confused friend into a hug.

 _Day 29_

Pascal is standing on the shoreline, watching as the sun shines delicately over the ocean. Behind him, Crystal and Nervous are both fast asleep inside of the shelter. "I woke up this morning, and for the first time since I got here, I didn't know what to do," Pascal confesses to the camera, "I keep thinking about everything - you know, like the game, my brothers, and my son - and I guess I'm just worried that all of it is somehow slipping away from me, and there's nothing I can do to stop it," he says, letting out a deep sigh.

"I am very fortunate that I never had to experience life alone; I always had people there with me to lean on, but I'm not going to have that today. And I'm so scared that I'm going to fail and I won't make it to the finale, and this whole thing will be for nothing!" Pascal throws his arms out, "And that would be the most depressing thing for me," Pascal states, stopping to think about this for a moment, "Well, maybe not the most depressing thing, but it would at least be in the top ten," he corrects, turning back towards the ocean.

Pascal takes a deep breath and sighs. "I just don't want to let everyone down. And right now, I feel like I might be pretty damn close."

 _Five Minutes Later_

Crystal is wandering through the woods, carrying one of the blue plastic water jugs as she makes her way over to the water well. Crystal smiles when she notices the camera zooming in on her.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I feel really great today; I feel like this afternoon may be my chance to prove myself. If you told me a week ago that I would be sitting here in a power position at the final three, I definitely wouldn't have believed you. I worked so hard to get to where I am today, and I would like nothing more than to win this immunity challenge and make my way to the finals. I think I deserve it; I think I deserve the title of Sole Survivor. Unfortunately, two other people who I'm both friends with think the exact same thing as I do, so this immunity challenge is going to be rough. It all comes down to who wants it the most; and I gotta tell you, I want it pretty damn bad. So I guess we'll just have to see what happens, and hope for the best.

 _Meanwhile: In the Shelter_

Nervous is sitting alone on the bamboo floorboards, looking at Pascal, who is staring out at the ocean. Nervous sits in silence for a minute before turning to the right, noticing the camera aimed at him. The test subject holds up his hand in a casual wave. "Tonight is the ultimate test of whether or not I deserve to win this thing," Nervous tells the camera, "I came out here as more of a passive player and I truly think that over the course of these last twenty-nine days, I've evolved a lot as both a survivor and as a human being."

"After only a few weeks out here, I was able to finally grow a backbone and stand up for myself. And I'm really proud of that," Nervous says, smiling as he turns towards the ocean. "In my mind I have just as much right to be here as anyone else that's on this island, but I still need to prove to the jury that I'm strong and that I can make big moves…and that's why I need to win immunity today," Nervous intently states, "Because I need a move that's just mine. And that's the only way I'll be able to win this thing."

"Day twenty-nine, who would've thought that Nervous Subject would still be here?" he speaks into the silence, "And I'm pretty damn close to the end," Nervous adds, "I guess if I can do this, then anything is possible..."

…

"Hey," Crystal greets, stepping on the beach between Pascal and Nervous, "Are you guys ready to go?"

"Yeah," Nervous says, quickly getting up from out of the shelter.

Crystal smiles and turns to Pascal, who is slowly walking towards the pair. Pascal sighs, "Yeah," he states.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

I am one day away from my goal. Maybe tonight I get my comeuppance, maybe tonight I seal my votes for the million simoleons. My journey needs an ending, and right now, it's all up to me. I just hope I get the ending I deserve.

 _Immunity Challenge_

"Come on in, guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, gesturing all three survivors towards the center of the beach, near the ocean shoreline. The survivors nod and walk onto the bright yellow tribal mat that is placed in an open area in front of the host. "Hello, and welcome to your tenth and final immunity challenge," the host greets, smiling at the contestants. "Before we get started, I would just like to say that I couldn't have asked for a better final three," he tells them, bringing his hand up ponderously to his chin. "Well, I would _like_ to say that, but I can't since Pascal is still here."

"Man, now I really hope I don't get voted out tonight," Pascal mutters to the others.

The Unsavory Charlatan glares at him, before rubbing his hands together. "Now that that's taken care of, we can get onto the challenge," he says, turning towards the strange plastic tube slide contraptions that are situated behind him. "First thing's first, Nervous, I gotta take it back," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, grabbing the immunity necklace from Nervous and placing it on the wooden pedestal. The host gently rests his hand on it. "And just like that, immunity is back up for grabs!"

"For today's challenge, you will each be given one of these contraptions, which are made up of two large transparent tube slides. During this challenge, you will be required to add plastic balls, by dropping them into the hole at the top of your contraption. To make this trickier, one of your hands will be tied behind your back. At the side of the machine, you will notice a switch, which activates a turnstile gate, which you can use to control which slide your ball falls out of. Once your ball reaches the end of the slide, you must catch it before it drops to the floor and re-add it to the contraption," he explains.

"Every five minutes, a new ball will be added, making it harder to catch them. If you lose a ball, you're done. Last person left standing wins immunity and is guaranteed a spot in the final two, where they will get a chance to plead their case to the jury as to why they deserve the title of Sole Survivor and the million simoleon check that goes along with it. Losers go to tribal council, where after thirty days out here, one of your journeys is about to be cut one day short," the Unsavory Charlatan states dramatically. "The stakes are high, so you better give it your all."

"Now, before we begin this challenge, I thought I would make things a little more interesting," the Unsavory Charlatan says, pacing towards the other side of the beach and gesturing towards a small set of wooden bleachers. "So, let's have an audience. Come on in, guys!" he shouts.

Crystal, Nervous, and Pascal quickly turn their heads to the right, confused out of their minds. All of a sudden, all six members of the jury walk onto the beach and take their seats on the bleachers. Lazlo smiles and waves exuberantly to Pascal from the back row.

"Aww man! Why did we have to go to this?" Loki whines in front of Lazlo, "I was going to go scuba diving today!"

The Unsavory Charlatan narrows his eyes at Loki. "Quiet you, you're getting a free vacation!"

"Yeah, but I have to spend it with Vidcund-" Loki groans, swiftly moving his head to the side. Next to him, Vidcund is giving Loki a testy glare. "-Which, you know, is a total joy. _Lalala…_ " Loki sings, nonchalantly turning the other way.

"Look, I don't want to hear any complaining," the Unsavory Charlatan barks at the jury members.

Vidcund tilts his forehead, confused, "Then why did you cast us on the show?"

The Unsavory Charlatan stares at the middle Curious brother for a moment before grabbing a hose from behind the bleachers and pressing down on the nuzzle, spraying Vidcund from head to toe.

Vidcund coughs a few times and takes off his glasses, wiping off his lens and putting them back on his face. "So how exactly was that a punishment? I was already wet and it's over a hundred degrees out!" he exclaims, gesturing down at his body, "I'm even wearing a swimsuit!"

"It wasn't a punishment, he just wanted to get you wet," Loki comments next to him.

The Unsavory Charlatan stands there stunned, before holding his hands up, immediately releasing the hose from his grasp, allowing it to fall on the sand. "I don't even know what this show is anymore."

"It's Survivor!" Pascal shouts from sidelines.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you, Pascal," the host states, slowly stepping away from the jury and turning back to the task at hand. "We'll draw for spots and then we'll get started. This final immunity challenge is about to begin!"

Five minutes later, Crystal, Nervous, and Pascal are standing in front of their respective contraptions with one hand tied behind their backs. The Unsavory Charlatan steps forward, smiling about a mile wide. "For immunity and a guaranteed spot in the finals…" the host begins, stopping when he notices some of the jury members talking to each other. "Just a minute, folks," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the survivors, before walking over to the bleachers. "Jury, this is a very important moment in this game, so I'm going to need absolute silence," the Unsavory Charlatan glares at Loki.

"What are you looking at me for?" Loki questions, "Vidcund's the sass machine!"

The Unsavory Charlatan groans and slaps his face in frustration. "Just…don't say anything, okay?" he mumbles, walking back over to the final three. "Alright, for immunity…survivors ready? Go!" the host says, throwing his arm down.

All three of the remaining survivors nod and pick up their first plastic ball. They simultaneously drop it into their devices; the jury intently watching their every move. Pascal quickly catches the ball from the slide drop and re-adds it to the top.

"And a nice save by Pascal," the Unsavory Charlatan comments, pacing between the three of them.

"Whoa, you complimented me!" Pascal chimes.

The host's face falls. "Don't get used to it."

Ten minutes later, all three finalists are still in the challenge. Crystal has just caught her ball and has placed it into the hole of her bright pink contraption. The host steps forward.

"We will now be adding a second ball into the mix," the Unsavory Charlatan explains, "Timing is everything in this challenge, so place it in carefully," he advises, "But you must do so in the next thirty seconds, or you are out."

Nervous nods and gently places the second ball into the hole at the top of his gray device, Pascal does the same with his lime green one. Crystal takes a deep breath and shakily adds another ball.

"Great, you have all done so," the Unsavory Charlatan comments, cautiously taking a step back, "Now let's see how this goes…"

Fifteen minutes later, the survivors are all still focused on the challenge. "Oh no!" Crystal cries, frantically catching her ball before it drops on the floor. She sighs and places it back in her contraption.

"Crystal had a bit of a scare there, but in a few minutes we will add a third ball," the host explains, pacing back and forth between the contestants, "This is a challenge that requires absolute focus, just one little mistake could cost someone a million simoleons…"

"Damn it!" Nervous curses, both of his plastic balls falling to the floor. He steps away from the machine and covers his face up with his hands.

"And just like that, Nervous is out of this challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan narrates, "His only hope of making it to the finals now is if either Crystal or Pascal decides to take him with them."

Nervous groans and lies down on the sand.

The Unsavory Charlatan steps over him and stands between Pascal and Crystal. "And then there were two," he smirks, "Thirty days and it's all come down to this…Pascal versus Crystal, the nut versus the normal person-"

"Hey!" Pascal chimes, insulted.

"-But only one of you will win this challenge," the host reminds them, "And I have a feeling we're going to find out who it is soon, because it's time to add a third ball," he says, turning towards the remaining two, "When you're ready, go ahead and add it, but you only have thirty seconds to do so before-"

"-We get it, before we're eliminated. We're heard this all before!" Pascal interrupts the host, his concentration still heavily locked on the device.

"-No, until I spray you with the hose," the Unsavory Charlatan completes, picking up the hose and mockingly aiming it at both of them.

Crystal takes a deep breath and holds the third ball above her machine, Circe and Jenny are both watching her closely from the jury. "Come on," Circe mouths from the sidelines. Crystal sighs and drops the ball into her device, then quickly reaches down to catch another ball.

"It's all simple physics," Pascal tells himself as he intently watches the remaining balls go through his contraption, "In order for this to work, I have to make sure all of the balls are between 3.9 seconds and 5.7 seconds apart…" he speaks, delicately adding his third ball into the mix.

"The thirty seconds are up!" the host shouts, turning back towards the crowd, "And now we wait for a winner."

Twenty minutes later, both Pascal and Crystal are still in the running for immunity. Back on the bleachers, Loki has fallen asleep on Vidcund's shoulder. Vidcund nudges Circe in the side and gestures over to his older brother. "Pascal's going to fall," he mouths to her. Circe shakes her head no.

"You two have been competitors since the very beginning," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the two remaining survivors, "But only one of you will earn yourself guaranteed safety. Will it be Crystal, or will it be…?"

"Shit!" Pascal cries, quickly diving down to catch his ball. From the sidelines, Lazlo looks terrified. Pascal sighs and quickly re-adds the ball to his contraption before reaching down and catching another one.

"Pascal looks like he may have miscalculated, his balls are now too close together," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the others, "This challenge may be over in a matter of seconds."

Crystal places another ball at the top of her machine, then quickly dives down to catch another ball; it slips through her fingers and falls into the sand. "DAMN IT!" Crystal shouts, turning away from the crowd, her head down to the floor.

"And just like that, Pascal wins immunity and is a guaranteed a spot in the final two!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, throwing his hands up.

Pascal steps back, his face filled with shock as he takes in the words that the host has just said.

"Whoo yeah, Pascal!" Lazlo cheers from the bleachers. Nearby, several of the jury members look disappointed.

All of a sudden, Pascal breaks down crying, the weight of thirty days of frustration and heartache seemingly lifting off his shoulders. The mad scientist crouches down onto the sand and starts crying into his hands.

"And Pascal is down!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as Crystal comes over and hugs Pascal from behind.

"Pascal, you did it. You won," Crystal speaks, turning around and gazing into his eyes. "You beat me fair and square," she sighs, giving a small smile.

Pascal gazes back at Crystal for a few moments, before pulling her into another hug. Neither of them saying a word.

"Pascal, come on over," the host says, gesturing Pascal up from off the ground. Pascal nods and stands up, slowly moving towards his nemesis. The Unsavory Charlatan grumbles quietly to himself as he clips the immunity necklace around Pascal's neck. The host pats Pascal on the back and turns to the crowd. "And just like that, Pascal has won immunity and is safe from the vote," he says, "As for Crystal and Nervous, I will see you tomorrow at tribal council, where one of the two of you will be the last person voted out of this game. I will give you the day to decide. Use it wisely, because this might be a million simoleon decision," the Unsavory Charlatan advises them.

Crystal and Nervous nod, before making their way past the jury with Pascal; Vidcund glares at his brother when he passes by. "Unbelievable," he mouths, shaking his head to Loki.

"He won't win," Loki mouths back to him.

Vidcund groans. "He better not," he replies, watching as Pascal exits the beach and disappears across the horizon.

 _Day 30_

Pascal, Crystal, and Nervous return to their campsite early the next morning. Pascal smiles as he takes off his immunity necklace and hangs it on his torch next to the shelter.

"Congratulations Pascal," Crystal speaks up, coming around the corner and patting him on the back, "You earned it. That challenge was tough."

Nervous groans and plops down inside the shelter, covering his face with his hands. "Yeah, it was. It felt like it was never going to end," he recalls, "But I'm really glad that we all made it this far."

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

It's day thirty and it makes me happy because Loki was wrong, both Crystal and I did make it to this point in the game, but it makes me sad because after tonight, one of us won't make it to day thirty-one. But no matter who goes home tonight, I just want us to have a great last day together.

…

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Today I must convince my greatest in-game rival to keep me around, so that I still have a shot at the money. This sounds nearly impossible, but who knows? Crazier things have happened, right?

…

Crystal and Nervous are lying down on their backs in the shelter, looking up at the bamboo ceiling above them. "I wish I was going to the finals with you," Nervous says suddenly, turning his head to gaze at his teammate.

Crystal turns her head, a sad smile on her face. "Me too. Well, er, replace me with you," she quickly corrects herself.

Nervous laughs. "Yeah, I know what you meant," Nervous says, his smile fading as the air around them gets intense. "Hey Crystal," Nervous speaks up, turning on his side to face her, "About what I said earlier – you know, about me loving you…?"

Crystal turns her body towards him as well, "Yeah?"

"I wasn't kidding," Nervous confesses, his eyes trailing down to the floor. Crystal nods and places her hand on his shoulder, Nervous immediately looking up upon her touch.

"I know," she speaks into the silence. "But-I don't-"

"Yeah," Nervous interrupts her, "I know that, too," he says, getting up from out of the shelter and stretching out his legs. "I have to go," Nervous states, awkwardly staring down at the sand before taking off towards the woods.

Crystal hops out of the shelter and turns to him. "Nervous, wait!" she shouts, passing by Pascal on the way, who is ponderously gazing into the campfire.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Well, I much as I can't believe it, I won immunity last night, which means I get to decide who I am going to take with me to the finals, and trust me, this is a tough one. This is the last major decision of the game, and I have to make sure that I make the right one. Logically, I should keep Nervous and get rid of Crystal, because she's my biggest strategic threat and she has quite a few friends on the jury. Plus, her resume is impressive, and Nervous basically followed her every move. If I want any chance at money, I have to vote Crystal off tonight.

 _Meanwhile: In the Woods_

"Nervous!" Crystal calls out, chasing after her friend as she weaves through the woods to catch up with him. Crystal stops when she reaches him and places her hand on her chest, trying to catch her breath for a bit.

Nervous turns around and faces her, placing his hands on his hips. "You don't have to follow me Crystal," he tells her, "It's fine, I get it."

"No, you don't get it," Crystal speaks between breaths, "You really don't-"

Nervous gazes down at the dirt and sighs, nervously running his fingers through his mohawk. "Look, do you want me to lie, or do you want me to tell you the truth?"

"Well obviously, I would like the truth," Crystal states, not having to think twice about it.

"Okay," Nervous sighs, moving his head to the right, trying to find the right words to say. "You don't like Lazlo, you like Pascal."

Crystal scrunches her forehead, unable to believe what she is hearing. "What?"

"You like Pascal, Crystal. It's all over your face," Nervous says once more, abruptly turning around and running towards the waterfall. Crystal stands in shock for a moment, before quickly racing after him and grabbing Nervous by the shoulder. She turns him around to face her.

"What the hell?" Crystal screams, "You can't tell me something like that and just walk away from it!" she scolds him, "Why did you say that I like Pascal?!"

Nervous sarcastically looks up to the sky and taps his chin, pretending to think this over. "Gee, I don't know, maybe because you do?" he sassily replies, "You practically follow him around here! Why else would you actively seek him out?" Nervous questions.

"Because he's kind of my friend and he's our greatest competitor?" Crystal retorts, "Besides, I don't actively seek out these situations, they just awkwardly fall into my lap!" Nervous crosses his arms and turns away. "Nervous, I don't like Pascal, okay?" Crystal says, doing her best to control her hasty anger, "I like my boyfriend."

"Really?" Nervous speaks suddenly, the expression on his face showing that he is clearly not buying what she is selling, "Then why did you sabotage our plan?"

Crystal tilts her forehead. "What plan?"

"We were all set to get rid of Pascal last week after he voted out Vidcund," Nervous reminds her, "For once we actually had the numbers, and then you went and told Lazlo that we were going after his brother," he recalls, "You were purposely trying to save Pascal; you didn't want him to go!"

"Nervous, that's not why I did it," Crystal argues, "I didn't want to blindside Lazlo!"

Nervous crosses his arms. "You sure didn't have a problem doing that last tribal," he retorts.

"He knew!" Crystal exclaims, throwing her arms out in frustration.

Nervous narrows his eyes at her. "Did he?" he states questionably.

"Look, I don't have time for this," Crystal says, holding her hands out in the classic 'I swear' fashion as she backs away from him, "I need to make sure that I'm still here tomorrow."

"Okay, whatever you say. I'm just trying to look out for you, Crystal!" Nervous shouts at her diminishing figure as she heads back towards the campsite, "Trust me, you don't want to go barking up _that_ tree!" he screams, slumping his shoulders when he realizes that she can no longer hear him. Nervous sighs and lightly shakes his head, his eyes to the ground. "I just hope she knows what she's getting into," he sorrowfully tells the camera.

…

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

You know, after all this time, I thought I just wanted the money, _(looks down at the ground, deep in thought)_ – but now, I think I might want something else, too…

…

Crystal sighs as she walks out of the woods, stopping when she sees Pascal kneeling on the beach, digging in the sand. Crystal ducks behind a nearby palm tree and cautiously gazes around it, eyes locked on her teammate. "Huh," she states, turning to the camera and giving a small shrug.

Intrigued, Crystal steps out from behind the tree and onto the beach, stopping a few feet behind Pascal. "Hey," Crystal greets, watching as Pascal continues to dig in the sand, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, hey Crystal," Pascal says, pushing his glasses back onto his face with the back of his sandy hand, "I'm just collecting seashells for Tycho," he tells her, his fingernails noticeably filled with sand, "I'll give them to him once he grows past his whole 'let's put everything in my mouth' phase," Pascal states.

Crystal laughs and sits down next to him. "Neat," she says, "If you want bigger ones, I would suggest going over there," Crystal tells him, "Lazlo told me that's where the phone-shaped ones are," she states, pointing to a shallow area across the beach, "Just don't go too far, or else you'll start running into the inappropriately shaped ones."

"Yep," Pascal agrees, "And who do you think told him that?" he smirks, before digging deeper into the sand.

Crystal smiles. "I should've known," she replies, chuckling a bit before staring off into the distance, "Hey, I know you probably don't want to talk about tonight, but…any clue what you're going to do?" she wonders.

Pascal nods and stands up, brushing his hands off on his pants. "I was wondering when someone was going to ask me about that," he confesses, "And the truth is, I've already made up my mind."

"Oh," Crystal states, looking as if the wind was knocked out of her, "And I'm guessing I can't change your mind...?" she adds.

Pascal shakes his head. "No," he says, giving Crystal a gentle pat on the back. "But good game, Vu."

Crystal turns around and watches as Pascal walks back to the campsite, carrying a few large seashells in his hand. Her eyes catch the camera, her expression filled with defeat.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Well, I guess that's it for me. _(wipes tears away from eyes)_ – I guess I just thought that he would at least give me an explanation. I guess I just thought that he would at least give me something, but I guess I was wrong. _(wipes tears away and stares off into the distance)_ – It just really sucks because I gave so much to get to this point, only to end up one day short. _(sighs)_ But I guess that's life, and sometimes it's not fair, no matter how much you wish it could be.

 _Tribal Council_

All three survivors walk into the tribal council area and set their torches and belongings down before taking their seats in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks up at them and smiles. "We'll now bring in the members of our jury," he announces, turning towards the archway, "Pollination Tech #9, Circe, Vidcund, Loki, Jenny, and Lazlo, who was voted out at the last tribal council," he states, as all six of the jury members take their respective seats. Lazlo smiles and waves to the castaways.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods and clasps his hands together, turning towards the three remaining contestants. "It's hard to believe that we've already been out here for thirty days," he tells them, "Tomorrow we will have our final tribal council of the season, and one of the three of you will be crowned the winner. We know Pascal is going to be there – _unfortunately_ ," the host mutters under his breath, "But now it is up to him to pick who will be sitting next to him in the finals. Crystal, the question is simple, what kind of argument can you make to Pascal to keep you around?" he asks.

Crystal leans forward and sighs. "Well, I would tell him that there are some people on the jury that don't like me and who strongly think I don't deserve the million," she answers, "So Pascal definitely has a shot at beating me."

"No, he doesn't," Nervous speaks up next to her. "If Pascal takes Crystal, she wins," he tells the host.

"Interesting," the Unsavory Charlatan states, rubbing his chin ponderously with his hand, "Nervous was very quick to deny that fact. Nervous, why do you think what Crystal said is untrue?"

"Because between the two of us, she's obviously the better player," Nervous tells him, "She called the shots in our alliance, she won the challenges, and she was the one that ultimately got Pascal to switch and vote off both of his brothers," Nervous says, "She's the master manipulator and I was just her right-hand man, so I think it would be a much smarter choice for Pascal to take me to the end over her."

"I see," the Unsavory Charlatan nods, "Pascal, Nervous makes a very compelling argument. He was someone's right-hand man, so he hasn't made a lot of moves in this game."

Crystal raises her hand. "Yeah, but that also means that Nervous hasn't made a lot of enemies either," she argues, "Since Nervous essentially played behind me the entire time, he didn't piss a lot of people off," Crystal reminds Pascal, "And trust me, you don't want to be sitting next to someone who has a lot of friends on the jury."

"But I don't have a lot of friends on the jury," Nervous retorts, "If anything, you have way more friends than I do," he says, before turning his attention back to the others, "She's even chummy with Loki, and he was the most hated person on the beach!"

"Pascal, this has got to be tough for you," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, gazing at the contestant sandwiched between the bickering pair, "Both Crystal and Nervous are fighting for their lives in this game, and you can only pick one of them."

Pascal nods. "Yeah, it is tough, but at the end of the day, I came here to win and I need to make the decision that's best for me," he states, both Crystal and Nervous hanging onto their tribemate's every word, "I mean, there's no doubt that Crystal's Survivor resume is impressive. She's strategic, she's hardworking, she's great at challenges, and a lot of people like her," Pascal reminds the others, "Crystal's a very worthy competitor, and if I took her to the end, I don't know if I could win," he says, Crystal's eyes fall to the floor, "In fact, I think I probably wouldn't."

"So it sounds like this decision is an easy one for you tonight," the Unsavory Charlatan replies, looking down at the mad scientist.

Pascal nods. "Yeah, I know exactly what I am going to do," he responds, his gaze drifting to the floor.

"She's done," Circe mouths to Jenny.

The Unsavory Charlatan gives a firm nod and claps his hands together. "Alright, so here's how this vote is going to work. Since there are only three of you and Pascal has immunity, both Crystal and Nervous can only vote for each other, which means that their votes off-set," the host explains, "That being said, the only person that will cast a vote tonight is Pascal," he tells the others, "Pascal, when you're ready, go ahead and vote."

Pascal sighs, stands up from his seat, and makes his way over to the voting station. Crystal and Nervous turn and look at each other, neither one of them saying a word. Pascal approaches the voting station. He uncaps the marker and writes down the person's name on the piece of parchment in thick black letters. Pascal holds it up to the camera and stands in silence for a moment. "…I don't think this one needs explaining," he says, before folding the vote in half and placing it gently inside the voting box.

Pascal returns from the voting station and takes his seat between Crystal and Nervous. The Unsavory Charlatan turns to the contestants and nods. "I'll go get the vote," he states, walking over to the voting station and retrieving the box. He places it on the podium and places his hand delicately on the lid, gazing down at the survivors.

"Once the vote is read, the decision is final, the person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately," the Unsavory Charlatan quickly announces, "I'll read the vote."

Both Crystal and Nervous hold their breaths as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box and retrieves the only vote of the night. Pascal looks to the jury, who is all leaning forward in anticipation, he turns back towards the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan carefully unfolds the piece of parchment and gazes down at the name inside; he sighs. "Twelfth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition, and the seventh and final member of our jury is…" Crystal sighs and slowly starts to stand up, grabbing her bag. "…Nervous," the host completes, revealing the vote to the crowd, "Nervous, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Crystal freezes in place, her mouth open in shock; across the room, the jury is stunned as well, as Nervous grabs his torch. Nervous stops in front of his blonde-haired teammate and leans down towards her. "Good luck," he whispers. Crystal quickly turns around and gives him a hug, before sitting back down in her seat; her legs shaking.

"Oh my God," she states, still in a state of shock.

Crystal turns to Pascal, the young scientist trying to hold back a smug smile next to her. "Pretty badass," he mouths, his face beaming. Crystal nods weakly and leans back in her seat, folding her hands on her lap.

" _Million simoleon mistake…"_ Circe whispers to the jury; Jenny nods.

Nervous places his torch in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. "Nervous, the tribe has spoken," he says, snuffing out Nervous's torch in one swift motion, "It's time for you to go."

Nervous nods and turns to the final two survivors. "Have fun being second," Nervous tells Pascal. He looks to his former teammate, "Control yourself, Crystal. Don't lose sight of the goal." Nervous steps back and waves to them briefly, before exiting out of the archway and into the night.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns back to the two remaining survivors, his signature smirk shining on his face. "And then there were two," he announces, "Let me be the first to say, congratulations. You two have done what twelve people before you have failed to do. You have made it as far as you can in this game. The power now shifts from you to the jury, where seven people who you had a hand in voting out, now get to decide which one of you is the most deserving of the title of Sole Survivor and the million simoleon check that goes with it," the host informs the pair. "And if this last day is anything like the first thirty, then this should be one hell of a finale," the Unsavory Charlatan declares, smiling at the finalists.

"Pack up your things and head back to camp. Tomorrow is a new day, get some sleep - you'll need it," the host smirks.

Pascal and Crystal nod, stand up from their seats, and grab their belongings; the jury watching their every move. Pascal looks to the bleachers; his youngest brother is shaking in excitement. Pascal grins and winks at Lazlo. Crystal gives Jenny an enthusiastic smile before heading out the archway after Pascal; the pair walks into the night.

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Closing Words_

One day. That's how close I was to making the finale. I don't know why Pascal picked Crystal instead of me, but that's definitely something that I'm going to ask him tomorrow. Even though I didn't win, I'm still proud of everything that I've done. Crystal and I were an amazing pair and I'm happy that neither one of us ever stabbed each other in the back. I'm actually looking forward to being a part of the jury. I know these two people better than anyone and I know exactly what their gameplays were, so there's no fooling Nervous Subject! But the great news is, I'm still getting my candles, because Crystal said she would buy them for me if she made the final two. What a great friend! _(smiles)_

…

Pascal and Crystal are walking through the woods, trying their best to make their way back to the campsite. "God, it's dark," Pascal states, leading the way as he holds his torch forward to better illuminate the dirt path, "I can hardly see anything."

"Pascal," Crystal speaks, trailing close behind him to avoid the darkness, "I don't understand. Why did you do that?" she questions.

Pascal scrunches his forehead. "Light up the path? So we can see better," he answers her, moving swiftly through the woods.

"No," Crystal says rather forcefully, grabbing him by the shoulder, "Why didn't you vote me off?" she wonders, "You could've ended it right there, you could've won!" she argues, throwing her arms out, "Don't you want a million simoleons?"

Pascal shrugs, not bothering to take his eyes off the path. "Eh, I guess. But when it comes down to it, that's not really what I want."

Crystal tilts her forehead, slightly taken aback by this confession. "What do you want?" she asks into the silence.

Suddenly, Pascal stops on the path and turns towards her, his eyes shining. "Come on Crystal, you know what I want."

Crystal shakes her head. "No, I don't," she replies, stepping forward, "Tell me."

Pascal scans the area and moves towards her, stopping when he's mere inches away from her face. "I want a worthy competitor," he says, before reaching over and pulling Crystal into a side hug. Crystal's body tenses up as she is pushed against his side; a deep blush forming on her face.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I think I might like Pascal… _(widens eyes)_ – Oh my gosh, I like Pascal! _(opens mouth in horror)_

…

The Unsavory Charlatan stands in front of the crowd, the audience sitting in silence after that startling realization. The host claps his hands together and shrugs, a peculiar stare on his face. "Well, didn't see that coming, did you?" he asks, stepping towards the crowd, "You know, when I tweeted out last Tuesday that there was one last pairing on the show this season, everyone thought I was talking about Crystal and Nervous," he announces, "I bet you they're not thinking that now," the host laughs and clasps his hands together, "Tune in next week to see how this whole monstrosity ends on Survivor: Strangetown Edition, or if you're live in the audience, just wait two seconds and all your questions will be answered shortly," he explains. "But for all you non-audience dwellers, here's a sneak preview of the action-packed final episode…"

 _Next time on Survivor…_

… _It's down to the final two, and the jury is merciless…_

"Oh, we had a great leader," Vidcund remarks, crossing his arms and glaring right at Pascal, "We just didn't know that he was leading us off a cliff!"

…

"Honestly, I don't know what kind of acid you gave him that made him follow your orders so vicariously," Jenny tells the finalist, shooting daggers at them.

 _Can Pascal and Crystal survive…?_

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Now I'm screwing everything up! Who am I, Loki?

 _All that and more, next time!_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Who is the most deserving of the title of Sole Survivor?  Vote now on my profile page!


	11. Episode 11: Tight Race (Finale)

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Episode Eleven –** _Tight Race_

"Thirty-one days ago, fourteen Strangetown residents went on the adventure of a lifetime," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, pressing his fingers together as he strolls up on the stage, stopping a few feet from the cheering audience, "They came from all over the city - from Tesla Court to Cover-Up Road. Now we're down to the final two, Pascal Curious and Crystal Vu," the host reminds them, "Who will outwit, outplay, and outlast their opponent to take home the title of Sole Survivor and the million simoleon prize that goes with it?" he wonders, throwing his hands up, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but perhaps it will be this man," the Unsavory Charlatan groans, turning towards the television monitor and narrowing his eyes at the young scientist that appears on-screen.

"Hey, I'm Pascal," the thirty-two-year-old mad scientist greets, "I'm a Curious brother, and I believe that I am the most deserving of the title of Sole Survivor. People always say that if you want to win something, you should take the time to study your opponent, and I've done just that. I even live with two of them!" he states, a photo of Pascal and his two brothers appears next to him.

"They also say that every good Survivor has back-ups, even if it means you have to work with someone you don't necessarily like…"

…

 _"Did you tell your brothers?" Loki asks, a smirk returning to his face._

 _"No," Pascal answers, "And I don't plan on it." Pascal stands up, a confused expression now filling Loki's face. "You see Loki, I realized something: Getting rid of you over Ajay would be a stupid idea," Pascal states, "First of all, a lot of people don't like you – no offense, of course. Second of all, I'd much rather play against you than someone I barely even know. And third, over the years I have developed a certain amount of respect for you as a scientist – and us joining forces just makes logical sense," he explains. "Trust me, Loki, no one is going to see this coming," he states, "But if we put our minds together, we can coast all the way to the end."_

 _"Uh-huh," Loki crosses his arms, part of him was clearly not buying it, "And how do I know that this is real and not just some petty trick to mess with my head? And before you answer, I hope you know that I could easily turn this around on you and tell your brothers," he rebuttals._

 _"Please, they won't believe you," Pascal exclaims, laughing it off, "And I know you won't tell them, because face it, Loki, this is your only option," he says, holding his hand out to shake._

 _Loki looks down at it for a moment, stepping back and rubbing his eyes with his hand. He sighs, reaches out, and takes Pascal's hand. "Curious," he smirks, "You've got yourself a deal."_

 _Pascal smiles and shakes back. "I knew it."_

…

"From the very beginning, I was underestimated by everyone. I was seen as the fool, the guy who wouldn't last a day on the island, the guy that couldn't win," Pascal presses further, "And I used that to my advantage. After thirty days out here, I believe I proved myself to be the best. And I'll do anything to win. I voted off my own brothers for goodness sake!"

…

 _Pascal's legs start shaking as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box for the final time that night. He slowly pulls out the folded piece of parchment and carefully unfolds it, gazing down at the name written inside. The Unsavory Charlatan lets out a large sigh. "Eleventh person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the sixth member of our jury is…Lazlo," he states, revealing the final vote to the crowd. The vote is written in Pascal's handwriting and has the words "I'm sorry" written on it, as well as a sobbing smiley face. Pascal bursts into tears before he even sees it._

 _…_

 _Lazlo places his torch in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks up at him, laughs, and shakes his head._

 _"Lazlo Curious, a.k.a. the Human Garbage Disposal, the tribe has spoken," he says, snuffing out Lazlo's torch in one swift motion, "It's time for you to go."_

…

"I'm a fighter and I believe that I embody everything that Survivor is about," Pascal tells the camera, "I outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted everyone else. I even out-Lokied Loki," he smiles, giving a shrug, "At the end of the day, no one put more effort into Survivor than I did…"

…

 _"And here comes Pascal!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as Pascal grunts past the halfway point of the mountain, a determined glare on his face. He passes up Crystal, Nervous, and Vidcund._

 _"Holy shit!" Vidcund curses, watching Pascal speed past him, "I have never seen that look in his eyes before," he tells Lazlo._

 _"Hurry up you guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts to the other survivors, "You can still catch him! Use your upper arm strength!"_

 _Vidcund rolls his eyes. "If I had upper arm strength, do you think I would be a scientist?"_

 _Pascal approaches Jenny, the children pelting him with more water balloons with each foot he climbs. Pascal groans as he reaches the top, drenched from head to toe. He pulls himself up and runs over to the pedestal; he slams his hand down on the buzzer._

 _"Whoo! Yeah! In your face!" Pascal yelling, pointing down at the Unsavory Charlatan, "No one calls my son useless! Whoo!" he throws his hands up and starts jumping up and down. Below him, the Unsavory Charlatan looks positively dumbfounded._

…

"After it's all said and done, there is no doubt in my mind that I am the most deserving of the title of Sole Survivor," Pascal tells the viewers, "There's only one thing that stands between me and the money…"

"Hi," Crystal's uplifting face flashes immediately on-screen, "My name is Crystal Vu, I am twenty-seven years old, and I'm from Strangetown," she greets, "And I believe that I am the most deserving of the title of Sole Survivor. I came here on day one, ready to play. Before I even stepped on the island, I promised myself that wasn't going to use any shortcuts and that I was going to do my best to keep my integrity intact," she tells the audience.

"Now, I'll admit I didn't exactly have the best luck at first. There were a few people out there that tried to get me to crack…"

…

 _"Oh my gosh," she speaks suddenly, immediately turning her attentions to Erin as all the pieces begin falling into place, "The roaches, the stares, that voodoo doll – you were talking about me and Lazlo!" she exclaims, her face steaming, "You're trying to break us up!" she shouts, the ruckus causing everyone to flock over to them._

 _Lazlo tilts his head, clearly confused, "The what now?"_

 _"Why are you two even dating anyway?" Erin storms, glaring at Crystal, "You don't have any chemistry with each other! He's much more compatible with me than you!"_

 _Nearby, all of Vidcund Sucks continue to watch the fight, "Geesh, what kind of world do we live in where two respectable females fight over that guy?" Loki needlessly wonders, pointing at Lazlo who is crouched down in front of the ocean, holding his stomach._

 _Lazlo groans as he coughs up a few more roaches. "This is almost as bad as the Young Scientists Awards."_

 _"Well I hope you enjoyed your time here, Crystal, because by this time tomorrow you'll be back to your cushy lifestyle!" Erin shouts, her hands on her hips, "Believe me, I'll make sure of it!"_

 _"Is that so?" Crystal says, stepping towards her; Erin nods and stands up straighter. "Well, in that case, game on, Beaker!"_

…

"…but at the end of the day, I was ruthless," Crystal reminds the viewers, "And I always had my friends' backs…"

…

 _"The guys are using Circe," Crystal continues to tell the camera, watching as Circe stands a ways from the men in the distance, "And she doesn't even know it! I can't, in good conscience, watch her get played until they decide to throw her to the curb. But I got to play this safe, because if I'm not careful, this whole thing could explore in my face."_

 _A few minutes later, Crystal is leading Circe through the woods, dragging her by the arm as Nervous follows close behind._

 _"Crystal," Circe says, her face filled with confusion, "Where the hell are you taking me?" she asks._

 _"Just come on, there's something that I need you to see!" Crystal dodges, "Just stay quiet," she warns, before leading the pair further towards the campsite. The trio stops suddenly and makes their way into some bushes._

 _Meanwhile – On the Beach_

 _Vidcund lies down in the shelter and groans, covering his face with his hands. "You're the worst brother ever."_

 _"Ah yes," Pascal says, "Because making you seduce a hot woman to save Loki's ass and having you get lucky on national television, truly makes me the worst brother ever."_

 _"WHAT?!" a voice blares out behind them. The three Curious brothers quickly scan the area, looking for the source of the noise. Suddenly, Circe stomps onto the campsite, her face fuming. "You used me to save Loki?!" Circe yells, narrowing in on Vidcund, "What kind of sick, twisted move is that?!" she snarls._

 _…_

 _"If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and they would like to play it, now would be the time to do so," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the five remaining contenders._

 _Everyone looks towards Nervous, he looks down at the ground and sighs. Next to him, Crystal's feet are shaking as she nervously licks her lips. Suddenly, Crystal stands up, grabbing onto the idol in her pocket._

 _"I do," she states._

 _The Unsavory Charlatan shrugs, "Great," he says as Crystal moves towards him. Behind her, the jury is watching her every move._

 _Crystal reaches her pocket and holds the hidden immunity idol out to him. Within seconds, she has handed it over._

 _"Alright," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, holding up the idol to the survivors, "This is a hidden immunity idol, so any votes cast against Crystal-"_

 _"-Nervous," Crystal speaks suddenly._

 _The Unsavory Charlatan scrunches his forehead, "What?" he squeaks._

 _"I'm playing it for Nervous," Crystal clarifies, "Not me. Him," Crystal says, pointing to her teammate. Behind her, Jenny and Pascal look shocked._

 _"Oh…well, okay," the Unsavory Charlatan says, giving a small shrug and tossing the idol into the fire, "Then any votes cast against Nervous will not count, but any votes cast against Crystal will. I'll read the votes…"_

 _Crystal nods and slowly takes her seat back next to her teammates. Next to her, Nervous looks like he is about to cry. Behind her, Lazlo smiles and pats Crystal on the back._

 _…_

"I believe everything in this game happens for a reason," Crystal states, "But I wasn't carried here, I brought myself here, and when things didn't go my way, I made my own luck…"

…

 _Crystal sighs and nudges Nervous in the side; knocking him awake. "I'm sick of this," she whispers to him._

 _Nervous yawns a bit and rubs his tired eyes. "Sick of what?" he wonders._

 _"I'm sick of being on the bottom," Crystal clarifies, "We need to start playing to win, Nervous, we don't want to end up sixth or seventh place!"_

 _"Well that's easier said than done," Nervous speaks up, watching the guys across the beach, "You saw what happened last night, we're on the bottom, Crystal, and there's no way out of the bottom."_

 _Crystal shakes her head, "We may be on the bottom, but there's always a way out of the bottom," Crystal tells him, "We just need to find a crack in the main alliance and act on it. And I think I know exactly how to do it!"_

 _…_

 _Pascal nods, carefully thinking this over. "Uh-huh," he speaks up, "But how do I know that you guys won't immediately turn around and vote me off, making me sixth?" he asks._

 _"Because…why would we bite the hand that gave us a chance?" Crystal says, pausing to allow Pascal to ponder this over. Pascal sighs and stares down at the ground. "-Pascal," Crystal speaks into the silence, "You are a man of great integrity. You know what it's like to be on the bottom of the totem pole," Crystal reminds him, "Why not shake things up and give us little guys a chance?" she wonders._

 _Pascal lifts his head up, bringing his hand up to his face, still thinking this through. "You're a smart woman, Crystal," he tells the young townie, "I'll think about it."_

 _Crystal nods, unable to mask the smile that is forming on her face. "That's all I ask," she says._

 _…_

"I embody the classic underdog and I believe that I deserve the money," Crystal says determinately, "A couple weeks ago, Loki called me a pawn, but a pawn can become an extremely powerful piece if it makes it to the end of the board. It's time for me to get my title," Crystal smirks, staring into the camera lens, "This is definitely not how I wanted this thing to go; I didn't want to have to go against the Survivor beast in the finale, but if this game has taught me anything, it's that I can't count myself out. Not yet," she states, her eyes shining, "Game on, Pascal."

"Game on, indeed," the Unsavory Charlatan repeats, turning away from the television monitor and gazing across at the crowd. "Well, after seeing that video, there's no doubt that the two of them are evenly matched in their gameplay," the host states, before casually making his way off the stage and down the staircase.

"This past week, I've seen many topics on the Survivor forum regarding the five pre-merger contestants, debating who they would vote for if they had somehow made the jury," the host continues, stopping in front of the first row of the audience, "Well, it's time to settle those debates once and for all and ask each of these five survivors whether they would vote for Pascal or Crystal in the finals," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, crouching down a bit and pointing his microphone in the first cast-off's face.

"General Buzz," the host begins, "First of all, how are you?" he asks.

General Buzz looks up at the host and shrugs. "Eh, I've been better."

"Haha! Classic Buzz," the Unsavory Charlatan laughs, wiping away a few fallen tears from his eyes. "So Buzz, we haven't seen you since you were voted out in Episode One, after Vidcund Sucks got rid of you because threw the tribe map down a hole."

General Buzz tilts his head, slightly irritated. "Are you going somewhere with this?"

"Yes. Now, because you were voted off so early, you didn't get the opportunity to really play the game. You only had three days with Pascal and you didn't have any game time with Crystal," the host notes, "That being said, after watching everything that happened since you were voted off, who do you think is the better player – Pascal or Crystal?" the Unsavory Charlatan wonders, stuffing his microphone in General Buzz's face.

"Um, you know, it's tough to say," General Buzz begins, stroking his chin in a ponder, "Pascal was a nutcase throughout his entire journey, but it seemed to work to his advantage at times in that hardly anyone saw him as a threat for the first half of the game, whereas Crystal came into the game being known as the normal contestant, but she had a target on her back right away. So I guess if I had to choose between the two of them, I would say that Crystal is more deserving because she came in with pretty much no allies and she didn't rely on Lazlo to get her further in the game."

The Unsavory Charlatan pulls back the microphone and nods, a peculiar look on his face. "Interesting," he nods, "Erin, what do you say?"

"Well, Pascal did have his brothers to lean back on at the beginning, but ultimately he had the bigger burden on his back knowing that he would have to one day betray them if he wanted to go forward in the game," Erin argues, "Since Crystal knew very few people going into it, she didn't have to worry as much about pissing people off. Overall, I would say that Pascal played the tougher game, so he deserves the money," Erin tells the host, "And that's not just because I hate Crystal."

"Of course," the Unsavory Charlatan says, turning to the audience and giving a shrug. "Who knew?" he states, before moving on to the next seated castaway. "Now Ajay, I'm going to come to you next, because you were essentially in the same boat as Crystal coming into the game," he reminds Strangetown's newest residence, "You were both seen as normal, you both didn't know anybody, and you had to individually take the time to figure out whether or not you could trust each person."

Ajay nods, "That is true."

"And it takes a lot of effort and skill to do that; to try and use your best judgment for every person you meet," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "That being said, is Crystal's game more impressive than Pascal's? Or do you think that Pascal put forth that same amount of effort in different areas of the game?" he asks the new guy.

Ajay thinks about this for a moment, before letting out a small sigh. "This is a difficult question for me, because honestly, it's hard for me to see Pascal as a strategic player after I lived with him those first nine days. I mean, if you had told me on day one that that guy would make the finals, I wouldn't have believed you, cause the guy's a goofy nut."

"But that was his strategy," the Unsavory Charlatan clarifies, moving the microphone closer to Ajay's face, "And it worked well enough to get him to the end," the host reminds him.

"Yeah, I guess," Ajay replies, "But even after watching all the episodes from home, Pascal wasn't the one in charge. I mean, he was in charge of his tiny alliance, but there were many times where Crystal was manipulating him; pulling the strings to get him to do what she wanted," Ajay argues, "We saw that in Episode Six and in Episode Nine where she influenced him to vote off both of his brothers. And if anyone can get someone to knowingly jeopardize their own game, then that person is a genius. And Crystal out-geniused the double PhD."

"Crystal out-geniused the double PhD," the Unsavory Charlatan repeats, "I think I'm going to have to make that my new ringtone." The audience laughs.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and moves over to the next castaway. "Let's go over now to one of the most infamous sims in Strangetown, who is actually back from the dead, and is sitting next to an audience-favorite, the Grim Reaper," the host says, taking a seat on the red velvet chair situated between Olive Specter and the Grim Reaper. "Olive and Grim, you guys were on the Death Conquerors with Crystal," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds them, "Are either of you surprised that she made it this far?"

Olive shakes her head. "No," she answers.

"I even bet money on it," the Grim Reaper responds, moving in towards the microphone.

The Unsavory Charlatan scrunches his forehead, clearly confused. "You bet that Crystal would make it to the finals?" he asks.

"Oh yeah," the Grim Reaper nods, "She was the toughest one on the team – strong, smart, attractive, super useful in challenges," Death elaborates, "She has it all."

"I agree, she's a dangerous girl," Olive seconds, leaning into the microphone, "She also wasn't afraid of anyone. She befriended Circe, which isn't an easy thing to do, and she still talked to me, and I've killed like nineteen different people. Some of them twice!" Olive clarifies.

"Uh-huh," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks, frantically standing up from the seat and taking a step away from her. "So both of you think that Crystal should win?"

"Well, I for one, think Crystal did more than enough work to win," Olive dives further, "For me, it's just a question of whether Pascal did more," she explains, "Obviously, both of them were responsible for the Lazlo vote-off, but Pascal's move to vote off Vidcund was riskier than anything Crystal has done. Now, she did play an idol for someone else while she didn't have the immunity necklace, but she knew Jenny, and Crystal knew that Jenny wasn't going to be too hostile about that, and that Jenny hadn't planned on voting her off that night," Olive argues, "Also, Crystal had Lazlo behind the scenes telling her what was going on with the opposing side."

"But Pascal had Lazlo, too," the Grim Reaper reminds the audience, "Lazlo was kind of playing both sides there, especially at the end," he says, "If he hadn't have told Pascal that the others were going after him when Loki was still around, he probably would've been voted out that day."

Olive nods, "Either way, I think it's going to be close," she tells the host, "Whoever wins is going to deserve that money, because I am sure the jury isn't going to be a cakewalk."

The Unsavory Charlatan smirks and pulls the microphone away from the elderly woman. "And we wouldn't want them to be," he comments, stepping back onto the stage and turning towards the audience, "Well, there you have it folks, the castoffs think this is going to be a tight race," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks, stopping in front of the television screen, "But who will win the game? Will it be Pascal or Crystal?" the host wonders, taking a dramatic pause and turning to the electronic device behind him, "Let's watch…"

 _Day 31_

The sun slowly rises above the horizon, lighting up the campsite for the final time this game. Crystal sits up from inside the shelter, stretching her arms out as she gives a rather large yawn. Crystal turns to the right, smiling when her eyes catch the camera lens.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Day thirty-one, I can't believe I'm here. I have spent the entire game at the bottom of this tribe. How the hell did I pull this off?

…

Crystal is kneeling in front of the ocean, carefully washing her face. Pascal slowly comes up behind her, looking as if he has just woken up. "Hey," Pascal greets.

Crystal quickly turns, her face lighting up when she sees him. "Hey," she greets back, "You're up early."

"Yeah," Pascal nods, staring out at the ocean, "I'm worried about tonight," he confesses, "But even still, I can't believe this is our last day out here."

Crystal nods. "I know, I can't wait to go back home. There's nothing like going from a hot desert with no one on it to a slightly colder desert filled with the craziest people in the Simverse."

Pascal laughs. "I miss Strangetown, too."

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

It's hard to believe how far I've come. I came here on day one with my two brothers thinking that the whole tribe was going to go after me because of my intelligence. And when that didn't happen right away, I quickly took control of the game so I would be ready for when it did. But the most impressive thing is, I maintained control of my own destiny throughout the entire thirty-one days, and tonight I sincerely hope that the jury respects that, because that's not an easy thing to do.

…

Pascal and Crystal walk into the woods, Pascal holding a map that they received via treemail. "Oh my gosh," Crystal beams, stopping when she spots a full-length mirror propped up against a nearby tree. She steps forward and examines herself. "What happened? I look like a stick!" she cries, turning to gaze at her side profile.

Pascal puts the map into his pocket and steps forward, scanning over himself as well. "Wow. Thirty-one days and I still can't grow facial hair," he awes; Crystal laughs. "But who am I kidding? I still look great!"

Crystal laughs again and shakes her head. She crouches down and grabs the basket that is situated next to the mirror. She holds up the note. "Hey look, someone wrote us something," she comments. Pascal turns away from the mirror and walks up behind her. "'Congratulations on making the final two, Crystal. You can have all the food that Lazlo didn't eat. It will help you prepare for tribal tonight, so enjoy. Oh yeah, and you too, Pascal...I guess. From the Unsavory Charlatan,'" she reads, slowly placing the index card back into the basket, a peculiar gaze on her face.

"Here, let me see that," Pascal says, taking the index card from Crystal. He flips it over in his hand a few times, before shrugging and stuffing it into his mouth. He chews. "Eh, it's still the best card I've ever eaten," he states, heading back towards the beach.

Crystal stands in silence for a moment before turning back to the camera. "Well uh, I don't even know how to respond to that," she confesses, her eyes trailing down to the basket of food in her hands. She shrugs. "Let's eat!"

A few minutes later, Pascal and Crystal are both seen eating food from the basket on the beach, the pair sitting around the campfire. "You know, to tell you the truth, that index card was a whole lot better than this pear I'm eating," Pascal tells the young townie, taking a bite out of the yellow fruit. He chews and swallows it before continuing. "Sometimes I wish I was more like Lazlo, everything tastes good to him, so he'll just eat whatever."

Crystal laughs. "Yeah," she nods, "It's a very admirable quality," she agrees, slowly putting down her apple and letting out a sigh. "Look, I know this is kind of a weird question, but do you think your brother is ever going to commit to me?" she wonders.

"Vid, no. It looks like he's pretty into Loki," Pascal replies, stopping when he sees the worried expression on Crystal's face. "Oh, you mean Lazlo," he realizes. Crystal nods, "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know. We're brothers, we don't tend to talk about stuff like that."

"Oh," Crystal speaks suddenly, staring down at the sand, "But do you think he could?"

Pascal shrugs as he looks out towards the ocean. "Anything is possible, I suppose."

Crystal nods, her eyes still fixated on the ground. Pascal turns around, noticing the disappointment that is on his teammate's face. "Hey, don't worry about it," he tells her, "You're young, you got your whole life ahead of you."

"I know," Crystal states, locking eyes with Pascal, "That's what I've been saying for the past three years. I just need to know if this is going anywhere before I invest any more of my life into it."

"Well, then maybe you should ask him."

"I tried, but you know Lazlo, he always tries to avoid serious conversations. It scares him," Crystal reminds Pascal.

"Yeah," Pascal says, "But if this is that important to you, then maybe he needs to be scared."

Crystal leans back a bit, pondering everything that Pascal has said. "Huh," she states, gazing out at the waters.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I think that I've spent so much time focusing on this game and getting to the end of it, that I've kind of ignored everything that I've been feeling since I got here. It just seems like every time I have something good in my life or I'm about to have something fantastic, I sabotage it. I did that with my relationship with Lazlo by going after something unattainable, and I'm worried that I'm now doing that with my game. I'm this close to the end, and all of sudden, I'm getting distracted with other things. But if I want to win, I need to put those others things aside and just focus on the game. I mean, I don't want to screw everything up. Who am I, Loki? _(smiles into the camera)_

…

Pascal and Crystal step back from the shelter, watching as their old bamboo structure burns down in flames. They hold onto their lit torches and beam at the display.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe I made it to the end," Crystal speaks up, before throwing her hand up in celebration, "WOOHOO! IN YOUR FACE, ERIN!" she cheers, giving Pascal a side-hug.

A few minutes later, Pascal and Crystal are leaving their old campsite for the final time. "Goodbye Vidcund Sucks, hello final tribal council," Pascal says, grabbing his belongings and exiting with Crystal off the lot. The pair travel into the woods, passing by the waterfall.

…

 **Pollination Tech #9 Smith  
** _Retired Pollination Technician/Alien_

It's been weeks since I've been an integral part of this game, but tonight my time to be relevant again has come. I gotta tell you, I'm pleased with the final two – I think both Pascal and Crystal have good reason to win this thing, so tonight's going to be a difficult vote for me. The only thing I can do now is ask them some questions, listen to their answers, and determine which one of them is more deserving of my vote. At this point, it's a toss-up, so they better bring their A game.

…

Pascal and Crystal pass the waterfall and follow along the trail; the sun starting to set behind them.

…

 **Circe Beaker  
** _Chief of Staff/Can Make You Scream 238 Different Ways_

Circe Beaker is back! And in my mind, there's only one person who deserves to win the title, and she's going to win it tonight. Look, I surprisingly have nothing against Pascal, he was a solid player, but I only have one vote so it's going to go to the girl that completely dominated all aspects of the game. I'm not sure if I'm going to ask any questions tonight, to be honest, most of the things I'm interested in knowing have already been answered, but you never know…maybe I'll get feisty. _(winks)_

…

The sun sets below the horizon, the sky turning dark around the two remaining contestants. They continue on, their torches lighting up the path beneath them.

…

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

This is the night that I've been waiting two weeks for. Tonight I will finally get the chance to confront the imbecile that voted me out. I'm pissed, I wanted Pascal to be out of the game by now, but I guess I'm just going to have to settle with him making it to the final tribal. Watch out, Pascal, because I'm not holding anything back. You made it to day thirty-one, but you're not going to make it any further. Not if I have anything to say about it, and – oh look – I do. _(smirks)_

…

Pascal and Crystal reach the end of the path and head up the large sandy hill, slowly stepping their feet into the sand as they carefully make their way up the landscape.

…

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

Is it my turn to speak already? Man, those first three people didn't take very long! You know, I always considered myself to be a reasonable person – _(stops and bursts out laughing) –_ I'm sorry, I couldn't help it, I just had to throw a joke in there. Anyway, I don't like either one of these bozos, so tonight my vote is as open as it gets…so maybe about five centimeters. And no, I'm not drunk, so quit asking! _(shakes fist, then holds it up in front of his face)_ – Wow, I have a really nice hand. Haha, hand. _(giggles again)_

…

The two remaining survivors reach the top of the hill, carefully beginning their descent towards the wooden tribal structure.

…

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Field Researcher/Mother of Two_

Tonight is the night where I take my stand. I've been waiting four days to tell both Pascal and Crystal what I thought of their gameplay, so I can't wait until we get this thing started. In terms of my vote, I think both of them still have a chance at it, they just have to prove that they've earned it. I've been with Crystal since the very beginning, and honestly, I think she's the better player, but Pascal wasn't a floater, so he's got a shot at the title. It's anybody's game, guys. Let's see who wants it more!

…

Pascal and Crystal climb up the first set of stairs and make their way onto the wooden bridge, their end destination in sight.

…

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

Whoo! I'm on the jury! How cool is this? I'm so honored that I get to be in this awkward situation where I have to pick between my brother and my girlfriend. But you know what? I'm happy it's the two of them; no one worked harder than those two. Crystal was a fearless competitor and Pascal played his heart out – I'm sure Vidcund would say literally – but, you know, I know better than that. Pascal was the strategic mastermind, so I hope everyone sees that tonight.

…

Pascal and Crystal reach the end of the bridge and walk up the final set of wooden stairs to the tribal council structure. They arrive at the archway.

…

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

This is it. The two best players on this season are squaring off against each other to determine who is more badass! Sorry about the enthusiasm, I was told to display extreme emotion while I film this section. Anyway, before I cast my vote tonight, I just want Pascal to know that I still like him, even though he voted me out. And I want Crystal to know that I think she should leave Lazlo because he ate twenty-five tacos last night, which I didn't think was possible, but apparently it is. Good luck, guys! _(smiles)_

 _Final Tribal Council_

The two finalists walk into the tribal council area and set their torches and belongings down before taking their seats in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host smiles and nods when he sees them. "Hello and welcome to your final tribal council," he greets, "I would say 'let's bring in the members of our jury', but they're already here!" he exclaims, gesturing over to the seven members of the jury, who are situated on the wooden bleachers.

"After thirty-one days, it's come down to this: Pascal Curious versus Crystal Vu," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, looking at the pair, "This is not a typical tribal council, so let me explain how things work," the host begins, "You will each make an opening statement explaining to the jury why you think you deserve the title of Sole Survivor. The jury will then get their first chance to address each of you since you snuffed out their torches," the Unsavory Charlatan explains, "Some of them might ask you questions about your gameplay, and some of them might plain criticize you. Your job is to answer their questions to the best of your ability. Once everyone on the jury has gotten a chance to address you, I will give them a few moments to think their choices over before they cast their votes."

The Unsavory Charlatan pauses and takes a sip of water. "Now, this tribal council is unlike any other, because tonight instead of voting someone off the island, the jury is going to cast their votes for a winner. So you want to see your name on that piece of parchment," he states, "There are seven jury members, so you need four votes to win. The winner, of course, earns the title of Sole Survivor and the million simoleon check that goes with it, so there's very high stakes tonight," the host adds.

"When you're ready, we'll begin with the opening statements. Crystal, you're up!" the Unsavory Charlatan says, gesturing to the young townie.

"Thank you," Crystal replies, folding her arms and sitting up straight on her stool. "Hello everyone," she says, giving a nervous swallow, "I came here on day one with one purpose in mind: to win the million simoleons," Crystal explains, "But I didn't just want to win the money, I wanted to win the money with as much integrity as possible. I didn't want to step on any toes and I didn't want to betray anyone's trust, and I believe I did just that," she states, "I started at the very bottom of my tribe and I worked my way to the top. Along the way, I formed lasting relationships, I won challenges, and I protected those who needed my help. I tried to play as fair as possible and I played a game that I am very proud of, so I hope you guys will consider voting for me tonight. Thank you."

"Very good," the Unsavory Charlatan nods, turning towards the other finalist, "Pascal."

"Hey guys," Pascal greets, "I know a lot of you are mad at me, and you should be. But let me explain where I'm coming from," the mad scientist says, "From the beginning, my plan was simple: To gain control of this game while being as subtle as possible and get to the end, while hurting as few people as possible. Over the course of these thirty-one days, I accomplished that," Pascal tells the jury, "I came into this game already having a target on my back. Everyone knows that I'm super intelligent and I have two PhDs, so I had to try to figure out a way to downplay my 'weakness' and turn it into a strength. Hence why I was goofy, and it worked!" Pascal half-enthusiastically moves his hands up, "Once I made the merge, I went into overdrive and I took out anyone who was a threat to me. I tried to be as fair as possible, but sometimes sacrifices had to be made to keep myself in the power position. But I never took the easy way out, and I did vote off both of my brothers, even though it was very hard for me. Obviously, none of the vote-outs were anything personal, and I believe that I played the game to the best of my ability. When I needed to win challenges, I did. And when I needed to vote someone off, I did that, too. I take responsibility for everything that I did to get here. And I sincerely hope that you guys will consider voting for me tonight. I will be happy to answer all your questions, so…bring it on. Thank you."

"Wow, that was long," the Unsavory Charlatan comments, turning away from Pascal. "Jury, you will now get your first chance to address Crystal and Pascal. Circe, you're up first," the host states, smiling at the chief of staff.

Circe smirks and stands up from her seat. "Alright," she says, positioning herself in front of the two survivors. "Hello everyone, how are you? I'm great, thanks for asking," Circe answers quickly, a sassy smile on her face.

"That's great! You look good, Circe," Crystal chimes in.

"Thank you, Crystal," Circe responds, swaying a bit in place, "Flattery will get you everywhere with me."

"Believe me, she's not kidding," Loki whispers to Vidcund, leaning into his ear, "Once I said she had nice shoes and-well…I don't need to tell you what happened after _that_ ," Loki leans back and claps his hands together, "Whoo!"

Circe glares at Loki, her fists clenched. "Bite me, sweetheart," she hisses through her teeth. She clears her throat and turns back to the finalists, "Anyway, let me be the first to say congratulations. You both made it this far, so you obviously did something right," Circe comments, "Now, I don't have a question for either one of you; it's more like a speech. But first, before I begin, I just want to say something to Pascal," Circe says, taking a step forward.

"Pascal, I'll admit that I was mad at you when you voted me out, but I shouldn't have been," she tells the scientist, "You see, I was mad because I thought you were the one who came up with the plan for Vidcund to sleep with me to get my vote, when really, it was dumbass over there-" Circe stops and gestures at Loki. "In fact, you wanted to do the normal thing and talk with me to get me to switch, so I'm sorry. That was my bad."

Pascal nods. "Thank you. I accept your apology."

"As you should," Circe quickly replies, before turning to her former Death Conquerors teammate. "Now that all that icky-ness is over, it's time for my speech," she begins, clasping her hands together and rolling back on her heels. "Crystal, you walked out of that plane on day one, and I said to myself, 'Oh boy, this girl's not going to last long.' I thought you were a joke," Circe tells her, "I thought you were going to be the little damsel who was going to get dragged to the end by her boyfriend. But I was completely wrong, which is not easy for me to admit, trust me," Circe states. Across the room, Crystal is giving her a small smile. "Everything I witnessed while I was on the island and everything I was told about by others said the exact opposite of you being a floater. People kept giving you easy ways to advance and you kept turning them down. Lazlo said drop your teammates and he'll take you to the finals...you said no. Nervous said he'll give you his advantage so you'll win the immunity challenge…you said no," Circe continues, pride filling her eyes, "Hell! You didn't even use _the idol_ for yourself! What are you, crazy?" Crystal laughs.

Circe pauses and steps forward, her face filled with intensity, "Let me tell you something: I came into this game with a few friends, a sister-in-law, and a husband, and you were the _only one out there_ who looked out for me. And for a while, no one wanted to even get near me!" she shouts, "Bottom line, you played the game that I wish I could've played, but I didn't have the courage to do," Circe proclaims, before turning her attention back to Pascal.

"Pascal, your strategy was stellar and your gameplay was impressive. Trust me, nothing satisfied me more than seeing you vote out these two idiots," Circe points to Vidcund and Loki, "But despite all that, you made one pivotal mistake, and because of that, the best player in the game is sitting right next to you," Circe states, pointing to Crystal, "How can I give you my vote, when this girl literally dragged herself up from the bottom to be sitting next to you today?" she questions, "Thank you, and good luck," she wishes, her demeanor instantly changing. Circe smiles at Crystal as she takes her seat back on the bleachers. Across the room, Crystal is tearing up; she wipes a few tears away with her fingers.

The Unsavory Charlatan tilts his forehead and smiles. "Excellent start, Circe," he concludes, nodding at the villainess. The host turns and nods at another jury member. "Lazlo, you're up."

Lazlo smiles and stands up, taking his position in front of the finalists. "Hi guys! Congratulations to the both of you on making it this far," Lazlo tells Pascal and Crystal, "Man, today I'm choosing between my brother and my girlfriend, so I bet no one wants to be in my shoes." The jury laughs. "Anyway, I wish I could vote for you both, but I can't. I do however, think that you are both deserving of the money, and I wish you luck with the rest of the jury," Lazlo continues, taking a deep breath.

"As you are probably well aware of by now, this game wasn't built for people like me, but it was built for strong individuals like yourselves. Believe it or not, my vote is pretty much set and it has been for a while," Lazlo confesses to the finalists, "I spent a lot of time with each of you and I know firsthand the kind of gameplay that you guys have done, but I know a lot of people on the jury still aren't sure who they are going to vote for, so just to be fair, I am going to share some things with them that I experienced firsthand regarding the two of you that they may not know about," Lazlo says, turning to the six other jury members.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, if you like loyal, hardworking individuals who refuse to cut corners, then tonight I urge you to vote for this woman," Lazlo gestures to Crystal, "I did anything but carry her to the finals - obviously, because I'm not even sitting next to her," Lazlo adds, "But on day sixteen, when she was at the bottom of the tribe, I gave her an easy solution to make to the final five…and she said no and told me that she wouldn't abandon her alliance members because she wanted to play an honorable game," Lazlo states to the jury. "Crystal's loyalty to her teammates was oftentimes insane, but she managed to make it to the end keeping her loyalty intact, which is incredibly hard to do. So good job," he says, gazing up at his girlfriend. Crystal smiles and nods.

Lazlo steps forward and clasps his hands in front of his body. "Now, if you like strategic excellence and all-around game dominancy, then I urge you to vote for my brother," Lazlo says, pointing to Pascal, "Since stepping out on this island on day one, Pascal dominated every single aspect of this game. He was fierce, strong, and incredibly strategic. I spent twenty-seven days with him, and not a day went by when he wasn't talking about strategy," Lazlo confesses, "When there was a problem or a mix-up on the tribe, Pascal already had twenty different ways to solve it and he was playing the game three steps ahead. I know a lot of you are mad at him because you think he crossed you, Vid," Lazlo begins, staring intently at his middle brother, "But he only did those things because he was trying to protect you, even if you don't think it's true," Lazlo sighs, but Vidcund refuses to look up at him, "Pascal has an incredible amount of integrity, which you saw, when he sacrificed his own game to help three others," Lazlo continues, gesturing to Crystal, Jenny, and Nervous, "And of course, when he voted out me," Lazlo adds, "For all those reasons and more, I hope that you will vote for my brother. Thank you."

"Thank you, Lazlo," the Unsavory Charlatan nods, watching as the youngest Curious brother takes his seat. "Loki, you're up."

"Finally! It's been thirteen minutes since I've talked!" Loki exclaims, standing up from the bleachers and stopping in front of the Pascal and Crystal. Loki folds his arms and sighs, staring at the two remaining survivors. "This is tough for me, because both of your games were very similar. You were both strategic players, you both won challenges, you both had idols, and you both had a right-hand man that did anything you said," Loki comments, turning towards the townie. "Crystal, you and I were only on the same side one time in this game. You didn't like me, and you didn't keep it a secret. I misread you though, because I thought you were going to be weak; I thought you were going to be afraid to play," he confesses, "But those thoughts went right out the window, when you canned Jenny and Lazlo."

Loki gives a rather large sigh as he turns to look at Pascal. "And then there's Pascal. Honestly, I don't know what the hell to refer to you as because you were so many different things," he proclaims, "You were the brother, you were the leader, you were the goofball, the threat, the dad, the double PhD, the man behind the madness!" Loki declares, throwing his hands up, "You outplayed me, Curious, and that's not easy for me to admit. Now I'm going to ask you one thing and one thing only: Why should I vote for you over the woman who manipulated you into voting out your own brother?" he asks, crossing his arms in sass.

"Simple," Pascal begins, staring down his rival, "Because I did everything. This whole thing was me," Pascal stops and gestures his hands out, "I was in control. I voted out Ajay, I jumped into the water during the first individual immunity challenge so I looked nonthreatening, I saved you twice, I voted out PT, Circe, Vidcund, Nervous, Lazlo, you, and I planted the seeds of doubt with Jenny," Pascal tells him, "Even that move that you claim she did, that was my decision. I took something that Crystal suggested and twisted it to my benefit. I was the one that made the move – she couldn't have done it without me. She tried to get Lazlo to switch earlier, but he refused. He only agreed to do it when I presented the facts to him," Pascal says, still staring up at Loki, "I wasn't lucky, I'm here because I brought myself here. After everything I've done as a man of strategy, look me in the eye, Loki, and tell me that I don't deserve this," he states, gazing at him challengingly.

Loki crosses his arms once more and narrows his eyes at Pascal. "Well, I won't do that now because I still have a lot more to say," Loki states, turning back to the female finalist, "Crystal, not-so-surprisingly, I disagree with Circe. I don't think you started out strong at all. In fact, I think just the opposite," he claims, "I think you started out weak and you got stronger as the days went on. So how am I supposed to award someone who essentially 'checked in' halfway through this experience? Someone who didn't play an entire game?" Loki presses further.

Crystal sighs and crosses her legs. "Well, I would argue that I didn't check-in halfway through. I was actually very strong at the beginning. Day six I saved myself from getting voted out when I formed a strong friendship with Nervous," she states, "I don't think it's fair for you to say that I didn't play the game at the beginning, because honestly, there wasn't a whole lot to do until the merge. I mean, my tribe only lost one immunity challenge, so I didn't have a lot of opportunities to make big plays like Pascal did. Should I be punished for my team's success?" she questions.

Loki pauses to think this over. After a short while, he shrugs. "Okay. Fair enough," he states, turning back to the eldest Curious brother, "Pascal, you're a sick bastard. But despite all that, you were the only one on this island who actually outplayed me," he confesses, "Now I'm not sure I applaud your decision to act like a total dumbass, but I will admit that it was effective, since I honestly only thought of voting you off that one time."

"You're right," Pascal speaks up, "I played crazy, but not crazy enough where I would get voted off by pure annoyance, but just crazy enough so that no one would never think I was up to something," he adds.

"Uh-huh," Loki says, staring down at his watch, "Now I only have a few minutes left, so I'm going to try to explain where my head has been at these last few days," he goes on, "Crystal, I think you're a bit of a marshmallow. You're sweet, innocent, and most people love you," Loki explains, "Which is why I was so happy when you blindsided Jenny with her own idol, because that was exactly the kind of cutthroat move that I was wanting to see from you," he tells her, "However, I think it's ironic that you were bashing my gameplay earlier, when you're the one sitting over there for the exact same reason. You're there because Pascal spared you," he says, turning to Pascal before Crystal can respond, "Pascal, you and I started out this game with a mutual respect for each other. You saved me, and we even agreed on day nine that we would go to the end together," Loki reminds him, "I was prepared to do that, for once, I was going to keep my promise," Loki confesses, "Then you voted out Vidcund, and after that all beats were off and I had to turn on you. But you have to understand, Pascal, that I only struck because you struck first. If you hadn't have done that, this could've been a whole different story, and you could've actually won this thing, because trust me, no one would've voted for me if I was with you in the final two," Loki adds. "But you didn't, and now you have to face the consequences of your own mistake."

"So, here's what it comes down to for me," Loki continues, taking a brief pause before stepping forward. "Do I vote for the person who hated me and always showed it, or do I vote for the person who pretended to like me, then stabbed me in the back?" Loki questions, stepping backwards a few times, staring down the final two contestants before taking his seat back on the jury.

The Unsavory Charlatan watches the mad scientist, his eyebrows raised in awe. "Wow…" the host states. "Jenny, you're next!" he says with a smile, his demeanor instantly changing.

"Great!" Jenny replies, rubbing her hands together excitedly before turning to Pascal and Crystal. "Congratulations to the both of you for making it this far, this game is tough and obviously the two of you must've done something right to be sitting over there," Jenny states, turning towards her brother, "Pascal, I'm going to start with you," Jenny begins, "You played hard, almost too hard. I honestly don't believe that some of your moves were necessary. I think what you did to Vidcund was just plain cruel and I still don't understand why you voted out Lazlo. So if you can explain to me why you felt the need to make those moves, that would really help me feel better about potentially giving you my vote."

"Alright," Pascal nods, "All great players in Survivor have to play two steps ahead, and all great survivors have to be able to adapt their gameplay based on circumstance, which is exactly what I did. I had to get rid of one of my alliance members to maintain control of this game, as well as to protect our brother. I didn't want it to be Vidcund, I actually wanted to vote out Loki, but since he won immunity I had to instead get rid of his 'right-hand man' to make sure that he didn't get too much power," Pascal explains, "And when I voted out Vidcund, I was immediately thinking about how I was going to rid of Loki, all while making sure that I had the numbers going into the final five. How did I do that? Simple, I made a lot of relationships. There were times where I worked with almost everyone on the jury. I formed a bond with Crystal, even though we were hardly ever on the same side of the vote. I always made sure that I had backups, in case anything went wrong on the forefront."

Jenny nods, "Okay," she states, crossing her arms in a stance, "What about Lazlo?"

"Well, I had to get rid of Lazlo because if I didn't, I honestly wouldn't have a shot at winning this thing," Pascal answers, "He was too likeable, and I couldn't compete with that," he confesses, "I was also worried about the possibility of there being a final three instead of a final two, which would mean that if Lazlo and I were both in the finals, our votes would've most likely been split, because we had a very similar move set."

"Mmhm," Jenny states, cocking her head at Pascal, "Which brings me to another point. Look, I don't know what kind of acid you gave Lazlo that made him follow your orders so vicariously, but there were times out there that it honestly made me sick," she confesses, "You used our little brother, okay?" she declares, moving her hands up, "I'm sorry, but that's the truth. You used him up and then you spat him out to advance yourself."

"Jenny, I'm sorry you feel that way," Pascal responds, doing his best to stay as calm as possible, "But that wasn't what I was doing at all. In fact, Lazlo didn't always do everything for my benefit, there were many instances where he did things for Crystal as well; things that could've potentially messed up my game that we hadn't talked about," Pascal rebuttals, "And I didn't make him do anything, everything was his choice. When I said 'We have to vote out Vid', Lazlo could've easily said 'screw it' and done something completely different, just like he did at the first tribal council. So despite what people think, Lazlo wasn't a disposable puppet, he was a strategic ally."

"Uh-huh," Jenny says, though her expression is still filled with disbelief, "But you have to admit, coming into the game, you had a big advantage," she recalls, "I mean, being a Curious on a tribe with our two brothers, you already had three votes on your tribe. So one could easily say that you were set up to win."

"Yeah, people could say that, but I don't think that's necessarily true," Pascal tells her, "I mean, three votes still wasn't enough for a majority, and by your logic, that means any one of us Curious brothers could've been in this spot, and that's not true," Pascal informs his sister, "I'm here because I took advantage of the opportunities that came to me and I skewed them in my favor," Pascal states, now turning to look at everyone on the jury, "I know people are saying that I had a cakewalk because I had Lazlo and Vid, but what some of you fail to see is that it's hard to be in that position. All three of us knew that we couldn't all make the finals going into this, so we knew that we all had to turn on each other eventually. This made the vote-offs a lot tougher for me than other people, who didn't have to vote off their own flesh and blood," he argues.

Jenny tilts her forehead a bit, a peculiar smile on her face as she stares at her brother. After a few moments, she sighs and turns to the other finalist. "Crystal, you and I were with each other since the very beginning, which is why it was so painful when you voted me off," she confesses, staring into the young townie's eyes, "So why did you do it? Why did you do that to me?" Jenny asks.

"Because you turned on us and you went after Nervous, after we had all agreed that we were going to vote off Lazlo," Crystal answers honestly, gazing into the eyes of her friend. "I wouldn't have done it, if you hadn't have lied to me."

"I had to do it, because you two were too close!" Jenny shouts, her emotions getting the best of her, "Our alliance was always you two and me," Jenny gestures at Crystal and Nervous, tears forming in her eyes, "And I knew that if it came down to the three of us, you two would get rid of me in a second."

"You don't know if that's true, you're just assuming that would've happened!" Crystal shouts back, fierceness in her eyes, "Jenny, you and I are friends, you stood by me since the very beginning, do you really think I wouldn't have even given you a chance? That's crazy!" Crystal screams, "I knew how much this meant to you! The hardest thing I did in this game was vote you out and I was so devastated that I was crying into my vote! After all that, do you honestly think I would've it? Do you think I would've taken Nervous over you?"

Jenny sighs, her eyes trailing down to the floor. "I don't know," she sniffs, "I guess we'll never know," Jenny says, drying her eyes with her fuzzy, pale green jacket. She wraps the jacket around herself and nods at the finalists. "Good luck, guys."

Jenny sits back down on the bleachers. Circe pats her on the back as Jenny leans forward, covering her mouth with her sleeve. "Nervous, you're up," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, nodding at the test subject.

"Sweet!" Nervous chimes, jumping up from his seat and standing in front of the castaways. "Hi Crystal! Hi Pascal!" Nervous greets the pair, "Not going to lie, I'm a little disappointed that I'm not sitting over there, but I'll get over it," he smiles. "Now I'm friends with both of you, so I apologize if this next part is kind of mean, but this is a purely game related interrogation," Nervous confesses, "So please don't get mad," Nervous pauses and moves his hands down towards his center, taking a deep breath.

"Pascal," Nervous begins, "You're my best friend."

"Yes," Pascal agrees, "And you're mine."

"Thank you," Nervous answers, "I appreciate that. So Pascal, it seems to me and many other people on the jury," Nervous stops and gestures to the sims situated behind him, "that if you really wanted to win, you would've taken me to the finals instead of Crystal. So my question is, why did you take her, when she was the stronger player?"

Pascal nods, "Okay, that's a fair question, Nervous, and I hope I don't hurt your feelings with my answer, but the reason why I took Crystal is because I wanted a worthy competitor. I wanted someone that I felt deserved it, to be sitting next to me in the finals," Pascal answers, "I'm the kind of person that strives to be the best, and in order to truly be the best, I need to beat the best. That's just the way I am. And if I just voted her out at the final three, I feel like I couldn't have accomplished that. I mean, everyone knows that Crystal earned this," Pascal states, pointing his hand at his competitor, "But I want to prove that I earned this more. Does that answer your question?" Pascal asks his friend.

"Yes," Nervous states, looking as though the wind has just been knocked out of him, "Thank you."

Nervous stands in silence for a moment, trying his best to collect his thoughts before gazing up at the remaining finalist. "Crystal," Nervous begins, "From the very beginning, you and I just clicked, and we were the best of friends," he states, noticing the small smile that is forming on Crystal's face, "And as your friend, I did a lot things that friend's do. But there was a span of a few days where you and I weren't talking for some particular reason," Nervous quickly babbles, "And there is something that I want you to know. I was the one that saw Jenny talking to the Curious brothers, and I confronted Lazlo about it and told him that he needed to tell you if he was going to mess up your game," Nervous confesses, "It was me…I was the one looking out for you. And I always have and I always will," he says, looking towards the ground.

"Oh, okay. Thank you," Crystal speaks suddenly, unsure of what to say. "I appreciate that."

"Yeah," Nervous awkwardly adds, "Well, uh, good luck you guys," the test subject wishes before slowly taking his seat back on the jury.

"Thanks Nervous," the Unsavory Charlatan replies for the finalists, a puzzled gaze on his face. "Pollination Tech #9, our eldest member of the jury, you're up."

Pollination Tech #9 smiles and stands up from the bleachers. "Alright then," he answers, stepping over a few of the jury members and making his way onto the ground floor. "Hi everybody, it's been quite a while since either of you have played with me, so please correct me if you feel as though I got anything wrong," he tells them, turning towards his brother-in-law. The elderly alien sighs.

"Pascal," Pollination Tech #9 begins, "Even though I know you in real-life, while watching you play this game, I was almost convinced that you didn't have a soul. It didn't really seem like you were taking anything seriously, you blindsided your own brother, and you went back on your promise to Loki," he lists off, "I was just about to give up on you completely," Pollination Tech #9 reveals, taking a dramatic pause, "But then a few nights ago, you voted out Lazlo…and _bam!_ There it was. This whole time, I was looking for proof that you were human, that you had some kind of remorse for the things that you had done, and there it was; you saw your vote for Lazlo and you burst into tears," he recalls, "Now I don't think that was a display of weakness at all, if anything, it showed how tough you were playing and how much you were willing to sacrifice to win this thing. I'll admit, I wasn't the person who was considering voting for you originally, but now I'm open to it – you just have to prove to me that you deserve the title of Sole Survivor more than she does," Pollination Tech #9 gestures to Crystal.

"Okay," Pascal states, leaning ponderously down for a moment, before looking back up at him. "PT, I came into this game for one reason and one reason only, I wanted to prove that I could pass the ultimate test. That I could physically, mentally, and emotionally survive and master this game better than anyone else out here. But not only that, I wanted to be able to do it as myself," Pascal confesses, taking a deep breath, "I wanted to have a conscience, I wanted to have integrity, I wanted to be fair, and that's what I did," Pascal says, his eyes shining in confidence, "On day eighteen I sabotaged my own game to open the door for other people and level the playing field. I own the game that I played and I made gigantic sacrifices so that I could be sitting here today," Pascal tells him, "Crystal played a great game, I'm not denying that. She should be proud of everything that she has accomplished. But my game was better," Pascal firmly states, "It's one thing to silently make moves behind the scenes to pave your way to the end, but it takes true courage in Survivor to play with an open hand and still maneuver your way to the finals."

"Alright," Pollination Tech #9 says, turning towards the host, "I think I'm good. I have no more questions. Pascal, Crystal, I wish you the best," he nods, returning to the jury.

The Unsavory Charlatan lifts his head up tall. "Perfect. Vidcund, finish this thing up," the host states as Vidcund stands up from his seat and walks over to the two finalists.

Vidcund stares straight ahead, purposely ignoring his brother, a cold glare on his face. "Congratulations, Crystal, on making it to the finals," Vidcund says, turning to the young townie, "I found your gameplay honorable, and it didn't make me want to throw up-"

"Thank you," Crystal squeaks.

"-Unlike the gameplay of the person sitting next to you," Vidcund completes, still staring at Crystal, "Because your game was so honorable, I'm going to make this easy on you. You won't have to answer a single question from me, all you have to do is sit there and watch me chew out my brother, and you'll get my vote," he promises.

Crystal closes her mouth and nods; a worried expression forming on her face.

"Pascal Curious, my brother, the leader of our alliance," Vidcund begins, giving Pascal a piercing glare, "You claim that you were so successful in this game, that you made your own opportunities and took control of every possible situation in a way that no one else could!" Vidcund mocks, throwing his hands up, "But let me tell you something, you never would've gotten anywhere if it weren't for me. When something needed to be done, I was the one that did all the hard work, I was the one that had to deal with consequences of your stupid-ass plans! So why are you the one sitting there when I'm standing here? Oh, that's right. Because you had to 'play fair' and can the guy who did nothing but support you!" Vidcund snarls, "Day two the people on our tribe _hated_ you, and I took the target for you! And what did you do to thank me? You used me up and you threw me out."

"Well, first of all, you didn't have to do any of those things for me – I never forced you to, I always gave you a decision – a choice, and it was up to you whether or not you were going to take it." Pascal calmly states, keeping his composure, "I never held a gun to your head and said that you had to do this, this, and this. And furthermore-"

"SHUT-UP!" Vidcund screams, everyone around him looking terrified, "I don't want to hear you talk! Cause all you do is lie to me and everybody else, and I'm sick of it!" he shouts, his face turning red. "You know you could've had it all, Pascal. You could've stuck with the three of us and gone to the finals and won this thing. But now you can't! And you what? It's a shame, cause we had such a great leader," he proclaims, his voice echoing in the structure, "We just didn't know that he was leading us off a cliff."

Pascal sits in silence, looking surprisingly unfazed by his brother's comments.

"You know, I protected you, and you didn't even give me a choice! You just voted me out without any explanation!" Vidcund yells, "Why didn't you tell me that you were worried that I was too close with Loki and that I was going to choose him over you guys and screw everything up? Why would you just blindside me after everything that we've been through together? Why would you do that to me?" Vidcund cries, his anger softening a bit.

"Because I love you, you stupid jerk!" Pascal shouts back, throwing his hands down, "And I know you, you wouldn't have changed! You would've just let Loki take control of you and wreck our entire game plan! And you did!" Pascal tells him, "You were taken by him by day seven and you didn't care about the game anymore. So I had to get rid of you to protect you from going down that dangerous road and protect our-" Pascal gestures between himself, Vidcund, and Lazlo, "-Game."

"Oh, give me a break!" Vidcund retorts, rolling his eyes, "There was never an 'our' game, it was always _your_ game. You just tricked Lazlo and I into thinking it was ours, when it actuality, it was yours, and you already had on your agenda when you were going to get rid of us!"

Pascal stands up from his seat and firmly stares at Vidcund. "That is not true."

"I don't believe you," Vidcund states, crossing his arms.

"You don't have to!" Pascal exclaims, "But just because you don't believe it, doesn't mean that it isn't true!"

"Actually, you do have to convince me, cause guess what, buddy? I'm the deciding vote!" Vidcund reveals, sassily crossing his arms in front of his torso, "Everyone else is already set in stone," Vidcund explains, gesturing to the jury, "If you want the money, cut the bullshit, and tell me the truth."

"I am telling you the truth, and I'm not going to be bullied into giving you what you want to hear," Pascal tells him confidently, sitting back down on his stool. "If you want to vote for me, fine. If you don't, that's fine too," he states, holding his hands up, "But I'm not going to sit here and play your little game, when I did nothing but tell you the truth," Pascal strongly states, looking up and staring into Vidcund's eyes. Pascal's fierce expression softens when he notices his brother's eyes are filled with anguish.

After a short while, Pascal looks down at the ground and releases a heavy sigh, "Look Vid, I'm sorry that you're upset and I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings, but I just did what I thought was best for you…and I'm not sorry about that," Pascal soothingly claims, gazing up at his brother.

Around them, everyone is silent as Vidcund stands in the center of the room, his head towards the ground. Vidcund sighs, his hands on his hips, and his face filled with hatred as he kicks an imaginary pebble on the ground. Vidcund slowly brings his hand up to his face, still deep in thought. He sighs once more, his hatred starting to diminish. "No further questions," Vidcund softly speaks, not bothering to take his eyes off the floor. He takes his seat back on the jury.

"Hopefully this final tribal council has given everyone a lot to think about," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks into the silence, "Jury, in a few minutes, you will cast your vote for the person who you think is the most deserving of the title of Sole Survivor and the million simoleon check that goes with it." The members of the jury nod, as several of them turn to stare at the two remaining finalists.

A few minutes later, the Unsavory Charlatan looks to the jury and nods, his hands clasped behind his back. "It is now time to vote," the host states, gazing at the jury, "Circe, you're up first."

Circe stands up from her backrow seat and makes her way over to the voting station. She uncaps the marker and writes Crystal's name down in gigantic letters. She holds it up to the camera. "Crystal, I'm voting for you tonight, because you're a fierce competitor that was able to tame the beast. Good luck, kid," she smirks, folding her vote in half and placing it carefully inside the voting box.

When Circe sits back down on the bleachers, Lazlo immediately stands up. He grins and enthusiastically waves to Pascal and Crystal before jogging over to the voting station. Lazlo picks up the marker and writes his brother's name down. He holds it up to the camera. "Pascal, you are the toughest sim I have ever met in my life," Lazlo confidently tells the camera, "You deserve the title and every penny of the million simoleons. Let's just hope that Vidcund feels the same," Lazlo states, bowing his hand a bit as he folds up his piece of parchment and puts it inside the voting box. Lazlo walks over to the overs and sits back down.

Jenny sits up from her seat and walks over to the voting station. She stops and stares down at the piece of parchment for a moment, before picking up the marker and writing Crystal's name down on it. Jenny holds her vote up to the camera. "You're right, maybe things could've been different if I hadn't have betrayed you, but even if they were, I bet you, I would still be writing your name down tonight." Jenny gives a small smile and folds up her vote, placing it inside the voting box. She returns to her seat.

Pollination Tech #9 stands up and moves towards the floor, stepping over the first row of bleachers to make his way over to the voting station. He picks up the marker and writes the person's name down in big, cursive letters. Pollination Tech #9 holds it up to the camera. "I have nothing to say, except I think you earned this. And that's the end of that," the elderly alien says, folding the piece of parchment in half and casting his vote in the voting box. He walks back over to the others.

Nervous stands up next and jogs over to the voting station. He arrives at the table and picks up the marker, writing Crystal's name down. Nervous caps the marker with one hand and holds his vote up with the other. "Crystal, you're getting me the candles, so I'm giving you the money," he remarks, his eyes shining, "But seriously, you've been such a great ally to me throughout this entire game and you're an absolute sweetheart, so no one deserves to win this thing more than you. Fingers crossed!" Nervous beams, holding his crossed fingers up to the camera. He smiles and casts his vote before making his way back to the jury.

When Loki sees Nervous, he stands up and strolls over to the voting station. Loki shakes his head a few times as he gazes down at the blank piece of parchment that is situated on the table in front of him. Loki picks up the marker and writes the person's name down. He looks up at the camera, his hands covering up his vote. "Pascal, you are one crafty bastard, and that's why you're getting my vote," Loki smirks, holding his vote up to the camera. "Plot twist," Loki whispers, folding his vote up and forcibly shoving it inside the voting box. The voting box tips over and crashes to the floor. "Oops," Loki states, his eyes wide. He scans the area for a moment before giving a small shrug. "Eh, not my problem," Loki concludes, stepping over the voting box as he walks back over to the jury.

Vidcund sighs as he slowly stands up, stepping over the first row of bleachers and making his way over to the voting trail. Vidcund stops walking when he accidentally kicks something on the ground. "What the hell?" Vidcund whispers, his eyes trailing down to the voting box that was knocked on the floor. He bends down and picks it up, opening the lid and quickly counting the six separate votes folded inside. "It's all here," he notes, waving his hand in front of his forehead, giving a sigh of relief. Vidcund walks over to the voting table and gently places the voting box back on it. Vidcund nervously taps the sides of the table before picking up the marker and writing the person's name down.

A few minutes later, Vidcund returns to his seat and nudges Loki in the side with his elbow. " _Unbelievable…_ " he mutters, giving him a snarky glare.

"What?" Loki chimes back.

The Unsavory Charlatan steps out from behind the podium and turns to the contestants. "I'll go get the votes," he states as he passes by Pascal and Crystal. Pascal is leaning forward in his chair, nervously shaking his legs while Crystal sits cross-legged next to him. In no time, the Unsavory Charlatan returns with the voting box and gently places it onto the wooden pedestal. He turns and glares at Loki.

"You know you could've just picked it up," the host snarls at the professional villain.

"And risk ruining my nails?" Loki counters.

The Unsavory Charlatan sighs and shakes his head. "Please tell me this is the last season," he groans, lying his head down on the pedestal. The Unsavory Charlatan looks up, noticing that all the Strangetown residents are staring at him strangely. The host immediately lifts his head up and forces an enthusiastic smile. "Anyway! Thank you everyone for a wonderful season; we couldn't have asked for a better collection of characters to play on this first season of Survivor," the Unsavory Charlatan tells them; Vidcund raises an eyebrow, "After everything that we have been through these last thirty-one days, I would love nothing more than to open this voting box and read these votes now. But unfortunately, we have to wait until we return to Strangetown. See you in six months at the reunion show!" the Unsavory Charlatan chimes, holding his hand up and gesturing down to the helicopter. A rope ladder is thrown down the side of the vehicle. The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the rope with one hand and the voting box with the other. He smiles and nods to the Survivors before the helicopter raises up, the host exiting the tribal council area in a matter of seconds.

The jury members and the two finalists stare at each other, puzzled expressions on their faces. "Is he just-?" Loki begins, his face filled with shock, "Is he going to pick us up?"

Vidcund shrugs, positively dumbfounded, "Who knows?" he shrugs.

The Strangetown residents awkwardly stare at each other some more, before Pascal speaks up.

"So, how's everybody doing?" he wonders.

…

The audience cheers as the Unsavory Charlatan steps back on the stage, holding the voting box in his left hand. He bows to the crowd. Onstage, all seven members of the jury are situated; all of them are nicely dressed and significantly cleaner.

The camera pans to Pascal and Crystal, who are both sitting on the stage across from the jury members. Crystal is wearing a sleeveless, floor-length lavender dress and Pascal is wearing a dark suit and tie.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and springs up, jumping onto the stage and taking his signature place behind the pedestal. "Hello Strangetown and welcome back to Survivor!" the host greets, a rather large smile spreading across his face. "Well, it's been quite a while since we were out on the island. But after all this time, one thing has stayed the same: I still hate Pascal," the host jokes, shaking his head at the scientist. The audience laughs. "Anyway, before I read these votes, I want to thank everyone who participated and watched this monstrosity of a show. It couldn't have been successful without you, no matter how many times we tried to get Vidcund and Loki to kiss," he adds. "You know, people have been asking me all season what it was like to host this show and every time I was asked that, I told them that it was a lot like riding a bicycle in a snowstorm, and I just never explained what that meant," the Unsavory Charlatan laughs.

"Anyway, before I bore you any longer, let's get to the votes!" the Unsavory Charlatan says, turning back to the task at hand. The host looks to the Survivors as he places his hand gently on the voting box lid. "Remember, this vote is different," he reminds them, turning to Crystal and Pascal, "Tonight you want to see your name on these pieces of parchment. There are seven votes in here. You need four to win," the Unsavory Charlatan explains, "For the last time this season, I'll read the votes…"

Crystal and Pascal watch as the host reaches into the voting box, the pair excitedly holding hands.

"First vote –" the Unsavory Charlatan begins, opening up the first piece of parchment and gazing down at the vote, "-Crystal," the host states, revealing the vote to the crowd. The audience cheers as Crystal smiles and nods in agreement.

The Unsavory Charlatan bows and reaches into the voting box once more. He grabs the next piece of parchment. "Second vote – Pascal," the host announces, turning the vote over in his hand. Pascal turns and beams at Lazlo, the vote written in his little brother's handwriting. The audience continues to cheer. "That's one vote Crystal, one vote Pascal," the Unsavory Charlatan recaps, before reaching back into the voting box.

The host grabs another vote and unfolds it, glancing down at the piece of paper. "Third vote – Crystal," the Unsavory Charlatan reveals, turning the vote over. The vote is written in Jenny's handwriting. Crystal nods and grins at her friend; Jenny grins back.

"Fourth vote – Crystal," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning over the fourth vote and revealing it to the crowd, before immediately reaching into the voting box and pulling out another vote. "Fifth vote – Pascal," he announces, placing the vote down on the table. The Unsavory Charlatan smiles turns to the crowd, his hands grabbing onto the sides of the pedestal.

"So here's where we stand," the host begins, scanning the crowd, "We have three votes for Crystal, two votes for Pascal, and two votes left," the Unsavory Charlatan informs the others, "Crystal only needs one vote to win. But in order for Pascal to win, both of these votes need to be for him," he states, watching as Pascal leans into Crystal and whispers in her ear. The Unsavory Charlatan cocks his head, clearly intrigued. "Crystal, what is Pascal saying to you right now?" he wonders.

Crystal turns back to Pascal. "Is it okay if I tell him?" she asks. Pascal nods. "Well, if you must know, he said 'you got this' and he congratulated me on winning." The audience cheers.

"Wow, so noble," the Unsavory Charlatan sarcastically states, giving his eyes a roll, "But we still gotta set it in stone, so I'll continue reading the votes," the host says, reaching into the voting box for the sixth time that day. He opens up the sixth vote and gazes down at it. "Sixth vote – Pascal," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning the sixth vote over in his hand. Pascal turns to the jury, looking positively stunned, wondering who in fact voted for him.

The Unsavory Charlatan gently places the sixth vote down next to the voting box and turns to the now-roaring crowd. He clasps his hands together. "Well, the perfect sign of a great season is a close finish," the host tells them, before stepping back towards the podium. "And now it all comes down to one vote," he stalls, taking a step forward. "Someone is about to be a million simoleons richer. Will it be Crystal Vu or Pascal Curious? Two players with very similar games, but very different approaches," the Unsavory Charlatan wondrously recalls, placing his hand on the voting box. "I'll read the vote."

Everyone intently watches in silence as the host reaches into the voting box for the final time that season and pulls out the last remaining vote. The Unsavory Charlatan slowly opens the piece of parchment up and gazes down at it, his face still in a line. "The winner of Survivor: Strangetown Edition…" the host sighs and turns over the vote, revealing Pascal's name written in Vidcund's handwriting.

The audience erupts into applause as Crystal and the rest of the jury stand up to clap as well. Pascal covers his hands over his mouth in shock, moving his head down a bit, before standing up to face the others. Lazlo immediately tackles Pascal into a hug. "Whoo! Yeah!" Lazlo cheers as Vidcund waits behind them, still clapping for his brother.

Pascal pulls away from Lazlo and hugs Vidcund. "Thanks, Vid," Pascal manages to muster out in his state of shock.

Vidcund nods. "Of course."

Pascal beams and leaps into the audience, racing over to hug his parents, Glarn and Kitty. Pascal takes Tycho from his father and holds him in his arms, giving the alien-sim hybrid a snuggle before heading him back to his father. Pascal jumps back on the stage and rejoins the rest of his fellow castaways.

"What just happened?!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts, standing in front of the contestants, "Pascal Curious, the guy who tripped over his craft supplies, got his team lost in the woods on day two, and voted out everybody in his own alliance, just won the first season of Survivor, after having virtually no chance at the million during the final four!" he yells over the cheering crowd, his face still filled with disbelief as he holds up Vidcund's vote, "Pascal received four votes – all of which were from the four people who he betrayed – and if that doesn't show you how persuasive he was in this game, then I don't know what will!"

"And the vote that changed it all," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, holding up the open vote in his hand, "Why did Vidcund end up voting for Pascal after he swore that he would never do it? We'll answer this question and a whole lot more when we return, on the Survivor: Strangetown Edition Reunion Show! Don't miss it!" he shouts, throwing his hands up to the roaring crowd.


	12. Reunion Show Part 1: Winner's Strategy

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Reunion Show Part One** **–** _Winner's Strategy_

A headshot of Pascal appears on the screen. "Hi, I'm Pascal," he greets, shakingly holding up the camera, "And I think my brothers and I should be on the next season of Survivor because…well, honestly, we have nothing but time until the new season of _Simosis_ airs," Pascal states, giving an enthusiastic smile.

…

It is the next morning and the tribemates of Vidcund Sucks are still trying to find their location using the map that the Unsavory Charlatan had given to them. "I don't understand this map, the directions are super confusing!" Pascal exclaims, holding up the crumpled map, "I mean, Northeast? What the hell is that?" he questions, "Pick one, jerk!"

…

Nervous and Pascal start balancing on the log. After ten minutes, neither of them has fallen off. "You really think you can beat me, Nervous?" Pascal calls out, smiling next to him, "I gave birth…as a _man_!"

"I got electrocuted!" Nervous playfully counters, smiling as well.

"I invented a Career Reward item…on the toilet!"

"Well, I made out with a tree!"

"I think Loki is hot!"

" _What?_ " Vidcund's voice blares from the sidelines.

…

Pascal smiles as he holds the idol in his hand. "WOOHOO!" Pascal shouts from the tree top, holding the idol up towards the sky in celebration. _"I'm not telling anyone about this,"_ Pascal informs the camera, lowering his voice to a whisper _, "Not even my brothers. This is my game to win…or lose,"_ he says, pushing the idol into his pocket as he heads back down the tree trunk, "These people really have no idea that they are about to be outplayed by a 'dumbass!'" Pascal declares, giving an enthusiastic smile and two thumbs up before walking back onto the campsite.

…

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

Hmm…do I think Pascal can survive in the wilderness for thirty-one days? _(smiles to the camera)_ Not a chance.

…

"Are there any questions?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks the survivors.

Pascal raises his head. "Why are all of these challenges Bon Voyage related?" he asks, "Also, do you think this bathing suit does a good job of showcasing my personality?" he wonders, doing a twirl in his red and blue swim trunks and sticking out his butt slightly. "Is he looking?" he asks Lazlo.

The Unsavory Charlatan stares at Pascal bizarrely for several moments.

…

Pascal sighs as he walks into the woods, brushing some of the dirt off his trunks with his hand. He stops in front of Lazlo, who is standing near the water well. "Hey, where were you?" Lazlo asks when he sees him.

"It doesn't matter," Pascal states suddenly, brushing the dirt off of his hands, "We got a problem and it's not pretty," Pascal stops for a moment, thinking this one over, "Well, actually it is," he reiterates, "We need to sacrifice Vidcund tonight to save our game."

"What?! No!" Lazlo outbursts.

"Come on, Lazlo," Pascal speaks, "Loki's gone too far, he's gotten out of control," he states, watching as his brother shakes his head; refusing to match his gaze. "You saw what Loki did yesterday, he almost made your girlfriend cry! He's become a bully, and he's going to take Vidcund down with him if we don't stop this now!"

Lazlo looks up, his face filled with hurt. "Pascal-"

"It's for his own good!" Pascal reasons, his argument growing, "We don't want him to become Loki's hand puppet and right now, he's pretty damn close," he states, "We have to cut down Loki's power, Lazlo, and regain control of this thing. And if we don't vote Vidcund off tonight, then we're the enemy and those three people out there will never trust us!" Pascal exclaims.

…

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Vidcund screams right at his brothers, "WHY DID YOU TWO VOTE ME OFF?!" Lazlo cringes.

…

"Vidcund," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, "The tribe has spoken," he announces, snuffing out his torch, "It's time for you to go."

Vidcund nods and turns back to his brothers, his face in a line. "I am so mad at you – I'm never going to forgive you guys! And there is no way that you two are ever going to win this thing, so I hope you're happy!"

…

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Closing Words_

I'll probably forgive Lazlo, because it seems like Pascal just pressured him into voting for me, but Pascal, after what you just did to me, there is no way in hell that I would ever vote for you, so I hope you get screwed over.

…

Pascal walks over to the third table and slams his hands onto it. "Who did Circe Beaker have an affair with?" Pascal mutters, scanning over the three answer choices, "Dominic Newlow, Nervous Subject, Pascal Curious?" Pascal blurts out, narrowing in on his name. "Hahaha! HAHAHA! Oh, that's a good one!" Pascal cries, wiping some tears away from his eyes after pounding his fist on the table. Pascal's eyes drift to the answer boxes. "Oh right, the answer!" he chimes, quickly reaching into the box and grabbing a package from choice A.

…

Pascal slips over the first ledge at the base of the mountain and falls face-first into the sand. Pascal groans and lies down, clearly fatigued and out of breath.

"Oh give it up, Curious!" the host paces from the sidelines, "It would take a miracle for you to catch up!"

Hearing this, Crystal looks down at the struggling father. "Don't listen to him, Pascal! You can do this! He doesn't know what he's talking about!" Pascal turns on his side.

The Unsavory Charlatan rolls his eyes, "Just cut your losses and give it a rest, Pascal! You're about as useless as your son is in this challenge!"

All of a sudden, Pascal sits up, pulling his head up from the sand. He gazes across the beach at Tycho, who is smiling in his car seat. Pascal stands up and shifts his attention to the host, narrowing his eyes at him. _"Nobody calls my son useless!"_ he mutters. Pascal races over to the side of the mountain and throws himself onto its side. Pascal starts climbing up the mountain.

"And here comes Pascal!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as Pascal grunts past the halfway point, a determined glare on his face. He passes up Crystal, Nervous, and Vidcund.

"Holy shit!" Vidcund curses, watching Pascal speed past him, "I have never seen that look in his eyes before," he tells Lazlo.

"Hurry up you guys!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts to the other survivors, "You can still catch him! Use your upper arm strength!"

Vidcund rolls his eyes. "If I had upper arm strength, do you think I would be a scientist?"

Pascal approaches Jenny, the children pelting him with more water balloons with each foot he climbs. Pascal groans as he reaches the top, drenched from head to toe. He pulls himself up and runs over to the pedestal; he slams his hand down on the buzzer.

"Whoo! Yeah! In your face!" Pascal yells, pointing down at the Unsavory Charlatan, "No one calls my son useless! Whoo!" he throws his hands up and starts jumping up and down. Below him, the Unsavory Charlatan looks positively dumbfounded.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone has safely made it down the mountain and is gathered near the host with the children. Pascal walks over to the Unsavory Charlatan once he makes it back to the beach. "Give me that!" Pascal commands, snatching the savings bond from the host and making his way over to his son. He takes Tycho out of the car seat and hugs him, still trying to catch his breath.

…

"Pascal is the mastermind!" Crystal shouts, pacing in front of her two remaining Death Conqueror tribemates. She throws her arms down, "I can't believe we didn't see this one coming!" she shouts, "We need to get rid of him!"

…

"If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and they would like to play it, now would be the time to do so," the Unsavory Charlatan says.

"Funny thing you should say that, Chet," Pascal says, everyone immediately turning to him in shock as he stands up from his seat. "-Cause I happen to have one of those right here," he states, reaching into his trunks.

"No," Crystal whisper-shouts behind him.

"Holy shit," Circe speaks up from the jury.

"I told you," Jenny mouths to her alliance.

Pascal walks over to the Unsavory Charlatan, still digging around in his pants for the idol. Nearby, many of his teammates are still struck with shock. "Why did you put it in your pants?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks him.

"-Because no one would ever look there," Pascal replies, as if it were obvious.

"He's right," Loki moans matter-of-factly, "No one would."

"Wait, I almost got it!" Pascal states, still searching in his trunks for the idol. Behind him, Lazlo is laughing into his hand while Vidcund is covering his face in embarrassment. "Ah, here it is!" he chimes, grabbing a hold of the idol and pulling it out of his pants. He holds it out to the Unsavory Charlatan.

"Uh…I'll take your word for it," the host states.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles, clasping his hands together, "Yep. I bet there's nothing I can do to get you three to drop," he says, pacing forward, "Unless you guys could think of something."

"Ooh!" Pascal speaks up, "Will you give me Ghostbusters on DVD?"

The Unsavory Charlatan's face drops. "No."

"Then forget it! I'm staying up here until I either win immunity or die, whichever comes first!" Pascal proclaims, crossing his arms in a huff. He gazes down at the ocean floor. "Ooh, a quarter!" Pascal dives into the water, leaving everyone dumbfounded behind him.

…

"Alright," the host continues, "The score is two to one. If the Death Conquerors score one more point, they win. Up next it's Nervous Subject versus…" the Unsavory Charlatan pauses and sighs, "…Pascal."

"Yes!" Pascal shouts, turning to his teammates, "Don't worry – I got this guys! I am the master of agility!" Pascal steps forward, "Whoa!" he trips and falls face-first on the dock. Pascal quickly springs up and dusts himself off. "It's okay, I'm alright, everybody!"

Vidcund face-palms and shakes his head, "- You didn't even trip over anything."

…

Pascal's legs start shaking as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box for the final time that night. He slowly pulls out the folded piece of parchment and carefully unfolds it, gazing down at the name written inside. The Unsavory Charlatan lets out a large sigh. "Eleventh person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the sixth member of our jury is…Lazlo," he states, revealing the final vote to the crowd. The vote is written in Pascal's handwriting and has the words "I'm sorry" written on it, as well as a sobbing smiley face. Pascal bursts into tears before he even sees it.

All eyes turn to Lazlo, who looks surprisingly unfazed. "Okay, that's a rather odd reaction," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, turning towards the youngest Curious brother, "Lazlo, you don't seem surprised."

"I'm not," Lazlo shrugs, gesturing to Pascal, "-He told me this was going to happen. He said he didn't want me to be blindsided." The members of the jury look to each other, shocked.

"Well Lazlo, with that, it's time to go," the host says, turning towards the exit, looking quite surprised as well.

Lazlo nods and stands up from his seat, Pascal and Crystal immediately standing up with him. Pascal opens his arms up, tears streaming heavily down his face. He is crying so hard that he can't even speak. "It's okay, Pascal. It's going to be okay," Lazlo says, grabbing his brother by the shoulder and giving him a smile. He pulls him into a hug, "Get it together, you'll be fine," he promises, giving his brother a few consoling pats on the back.

…

"And just like that, Pascal wins immunity and is a guaranteed a spot in the final two!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, throwing his hands up.

Pascal steps back, his face filled with shock as he takes in the words that the host has just said.

"Whoo yeah, Pascal!" Lazlo cheers from the bleachers. Nearby, several of the jury members look disappointed.

All of a sudden, Pascal breaks down crying, the weight of thirty days of frustration and heartache seemingly lifting off his shoulders. The mad scientist crouches down onto the floor and starts crying into his hands.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and stares off behind the plant biologist; completely ignoring him. "Okay, up next is item number two: Loki's wallet!" he announces, uncovering the plate, which sure enough has the scientist's wallet on it.

"Five cents!" Pascal chimes.

"That's not fair!" Loki shouts at the host, "I have over five hundred dollars in there!"

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles, crossing his arms matter-of-factly. "Then you better hurry up and bid before Pascal wins it."

Loki gives a groan. "Fine!" he gives in, rolling his eyes, "Ten dollars," he sighs.

"Fifteen!" Pascal counterbids.

"Twenty!"

"Two hundred and forty-five!" Pascal fires back.

"WHAT?!" Loki exclaims, turning around and glaring at the eldest Curious brother; Pascal smiles and waves at him.

…

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

After this challenge, I know it's statistically impossible for me to win now. So why am I still here? _(looks off-camera)_ – I'll tell you why, cause Pascal Curious doesn't give up! I'll find a way! I'll do something to change those jury members' minds! There's always hope…hopefully. _(laughs)_

…

"Actually, you do have to convince me, cause guess what, buddy? I'm the deciding vote!" Vidcund reveals, sassily crossing his arms in front of his torso, "Everyone else is already set in stone," Vidcund explains, gesturing to the jury, "If you want the money, cut the bullshit, and tell me the truth."

"I am telling you the truth, and I'm not going to be bullied into giving you what you want to hear," Pascal tells him confidently, sitting back down on his stool. "If you want to vote for me, fine. If you don't, that's fine too," he states, holding his hands up, "But I'm not going to sit here and play your little game, when I did nothing but tell you the truth," Pascal strongly states, looking up and staring into Vidcund's eyes. Pascal's fierce expression softens when he notices his brother's eyes are filled with anguish.

After a short while, Pascal looks down at the ground and releases a heavy sigh, "Look Vid, I'm sorry that you're upset and I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings, but I just did what I thought was best for you…and I'm not sorry about that," Pascal soothingly claims, gazing up at his brother.

…

Vidcund walks over to the voting table and gently places the voting box back on it. Vidcund nervously taps the sides of the table before picking up the marker and writing the person's name down. He sighs as he holds his vote up to the camera; Pascal's name written in gigantic black letters. "You're right – I've become a bully. I'm sorry," Vidcund apologizes, his face filled with sincerity, "Let's just say now, I know exactly what I'm doing," he states, giving a small smile before folding his vote in half and placing it in the voting box.

…

The audience cheers as the Unsavory Charlatan sits in front of the television screen, the fourteen castaways situated in order of elimination in three rows of bleachers in front of him. "Welcome back to Survivor, where we just crowned that guy - Pascal Curious – the winner of Survivor: Strangetown Edition," the host states, gesturing over to Pascal, who is sitting on the bottom right corner of the stands. Pascal smiles and waves to the cheering crowd. "-I know, I can't believe it either," the Unsavory Charlatan adds; the audience laughs. "Now, we have to talk about the last clip that we just saw, because that was something that was never actually shown on the show. Vidcund," the host turns to the middle Curious brother, "The last time we saw you, you were so mad at Pascal. In fact, you had said that there was no way in hell that you would ever vote for him if he made it to the final two."

"Right," Vidcund nods.

"So, what changed? Why did you vote for him?" the Unsavory Charlatan wonders.

"Well, you know, a lot of it had to do with that final tribal council," Vidcund responds, "When I had finally gotten the chance to confront Pascal on what he had done, as you guys just saw, I completely lost it, and I started seeing exactly what he meant about me becoming a bully. When he looked me in the eyes and said, 'I am telling you the truth, and I'm not going to be bullied into giving you what you want to hear', at that moment, I realized that I had become a bully. I was bullying my brother through my hostility and I felt really bad about that," Vidcund confesses, "I had to make it up to Pascal…so I voted for him."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, "That you did. And I'm sure a lot of people are proud of you. I'm not, but there are probably some," the host adds, "Also, in case anyone was wondering, fun fact: Vidcund's final confessional was actually a throwback reference to his confessional in Episode Three, where he voted for himself and said, 'I have no idea what I've just done,'" he states, "Now, there were three other people that voted for Pascal that night and one of them is the man that is sitting next to Vidcund – Loki."

"Yes, that's me," Loki comments, giving the audience a wave.

"So Loki, why Pascal?" the host asks him.

"Did you not see his game? It was insane!" Loki exclaims; in front of him, Pascal laughs.

The Unsavory Charlatan tilts his forehead. "But weren't you mad that he voted you and Vidcund off? And that he wasn't the biggest fan of your relationship?"

Loki shrugs. "You know, believe it or not, I actually get over things pretty fast. And because I'm a villain, most people don't like me, so that last part didn't bother me in the least bit."

"Really?" the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, "Huh. Well, obviously we know why Lazlo voted for Pascal, but Pollination Tech #9, why did you give him your vote?"

"Because Pascal played the riskiest game, that was surprisingly filled with heart, and I thought that he should be awarded for it," Pollination Tech #9 answers, "And the fact that he could successfully plan out and execute so many moves in this game was super impressive, too."

"So Pascal, let's get back to you, because unfortunately you were the one that won this thing," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning back to the winner, "Now, obviously I was with you for the entirety of your journey on the show, and every week that you made it by, I kept wondering to myself how in the hell you did that. How did you stick around for so long without getting voted out?" the host wonders.

"Well, it was tough," Pascal replies, "I had to downplay my strategy a lot so that by the time everyone realized what I was doing, it was too late to vote me off," he answers, turning to the side. "You know, I went into this knowing that I had a target on my back, and that people had this notion that I was going to be a big strategic threat, so I spent the first few days acting goofy and trying to get the heat off me," Pascal explains further, "Now, I first knew that this plan was going to work after Episode One, where I was clearly the one responsible for us losing the challenge and I didn't get a single vote. After that, I knew I was onto something with this whole goofiness strategy – especially since I knew the two people that could call my bluff – Vidcund and Lazlo – weren't going to."

Pascal pauses, taking a breath. "Along the way, I adapted my strategy _a lot_. For the first half I was hiding behind Vidcund – kind of using him as a shield in a way – because I knew he was a bigger threat than I was. Then I ended up voting Vidcund off once he started jeopardizing our alliance and I was worried about his well-being," Pascal says, "The toughest vote out for me was Lazlo, because I hated throwing him under the bus, but going into this I knew I was going to have to vote him off eventually if I wanted to win. As I had said earlier, I was worried for a long time that it was going to be a final three, and if Lazlo and I were both sitting there at the end, it would hurt our chances of winning. And the last thing I wanted was our votes to be split and then neither one of us would be the winner. So in order to ensure that wouldn't happen, I had to vote Lazlo off," Pascal concludes, turning towards the host, "-And I did. But the money's going towards our house, so I think they'll both forgive me," Pascal smiles and laughs.

"And it appears as though they did," the Unsavory Charlatan tells him, looking up at the other two Curious brothers. The host turns back to the bottom row of Survivors. "Crystal, you were an excellent competitor on the show," the Unsavory Charlatan states, "Going into the final tribal council, did you think you had this game in the bag? Because honestly, I did!"

Crystal smiles. "Well, you know, going into that final tribal, I knew Pascal had a lot of enemies so I thought I had a chance at winning. But I also knew that Pascal's strategy was lightyears ahead of mine and that my boyfriend was trying to convince some of the others to vote for him," Crystal turns and playfully glares at Lazlo, "Even still, I knew that all of my fellow Death Conquerors were going to vote for me."

"And this brings up an interesting point that I was hoping we would address on the show, and that is that everyone that was on Vidcund Sucks voted for Pascal and everyone that was on the Death Conquerors voted for Crystal to win the money," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds the audience, "So, did those initial tribal lines actually make a difference?" he wonders, turning to the survivors.

"Oh yeah," Vidcund responds, raising his hand, "They definitely did. I mean, we came from arguably the worst tribe in existence, so a lot of us sympathized with Pascal because we knew how tough those first nine days were."

"Yeah, and that was the added twist of this season of Survivor," Pascal speaks up, "Because we had to play against thirteen other people that already knew us. And I know those first few days were really tough for me," the eldest Curious brother confesses.

The Unsavory Charlatan narrows his eyes at Pascal. "How so?" he wonders.

"Well, the main reason was because I didn't know how to read the people on my tribe," Pascal tells him, "I mean, I wasn't sure if they were going to act the same that they do in real-life on the show or not. On night one, I fully expected the tribe to vote out Loki, because he's the town villain. Then when Buzz was voted out instead, it was the ultimate wake-up call for me, when I realized that I really needed to step up and take control of the game, so that I could actually predict the outcomes and skew them in my favor," Pascal explains.

"And you did for most of the vote-outs," the host notes, turning in his chair, "Now, let's stop and talk about that final immunity challenge, where you, Crystal, and Nervous were competing for what would essentially be the last major move of the game," the Unsavory Charlatan calls, turning towards the final three, "What was going through your head before that immunity challenge and during that last tribal council?" he asks.

"Well, that day I knew that I had to win the immunity challenge, because I knew that there was no way that either Crystal or Nervous would keep me around, because they were just too close," Pascal remembers, "And when I won immunity that night, I already knew who I was voting for. As everyone has already heard multiple times already, I wanted a tough competitor and I respected Crystal's strategic game so much that I had to give her a shot at the title, even if it meant that I might not win."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods. "So you really thought that you might not have a chance?"

"Absolutely."

"So you vote out Nervous and you make it to the finals, and the jury definitely did not make it easy on you," the Unsavory Charlatan recalls.

Pascal smiles and nods. "No. Not at all."

"Why do you think that was?" the host wonders.

"Well, I think a lot of people were angry at me about how I played – which was totally understandable," Pascal answers, "And I think a lot of them just wanted to know why I did what I did, and some of them were just hoping that I would get my comeuppance," he answers, "You know, after all that happened with the jury, I am honestly surprised that I won. I mean, I knew Lazlo was going to vote for me, but I thought everyone else was going to vote for Crystal. So I was surprised that it was so close, and I was even more surprised that I ended up getting the victory."

"I see," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks, rearranging the notecards that are in his hands before turning his attention to the audience. "Speaking of the jury, in Episode Nine we had a reward challenge where the final four Survivors actually got to see how many of the five people on the jury were thinking of voting for them in the finals," the host recaps, "Now, we actually took this group of nine – all five of the then-jury members and the final four survivors – and did these hypothetical final two pairings, and just to make things fun, we did eight completely different pairings, where it was Pascal versus one of these other eight people," the host says, gesturing to the survivors in the first two rows. "And you Pascal, as well as the audience, would be interested to know, that the only person who would've beaten you in the finals, was that guy over there," the Unsavory Charlatan points to Lazlo, who is sitting on the bottom row. Lazlo smiles and laughs.

Pascal's face lights up. "I knew that!" he exclaims, "That's why I didn't take him. He was too gosh dang likeable! I mean, I should know, I grew up with him!"

The Unsavory Charlatan laughs, "But that's why I think it's surprising that so many people on the island thought that Lazlo was a bad player, because clearly he was doing something right if all these people would've unanimously voted for him."

"Oh, it was unanimous?" Pascal chimes, "Then that makes this even better!" Pascal smiles and turns to his little brother.

"But really, Lazlo was the center of so many of the major moments this season," the Unsavory Charlatan notes, standing up from his seat and moving towards the television monitor. "He caused havoc with few people knowing that he did it, and unsurprisingly he got away with it. Lazlo was almost always on the right side of the vote, and he knew exactly what was going on," the host lists, "So let's take a look now at some of your brother's best strategic plays…" he announces, turning towards the television monitor; a montage flashes onscreen.

…

"So, who are we voting off?" Lazlo wonders, "Buzz, right? I mean, the guy's a nut."

"Really?" Pascal says, popping his head up over Vidcund's shoulder, "We're getting rid of Buzz before Loki? I thought we were set."

"Yeah," Vidcund seconds, "I say we get Loki before he gets us, it's our best option."

Lazlo slowly nods, pondering this over. "Yeah, I guess," he says, getting up from the campfire and wandering towards the woods.

…

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

Gosh, this is tough. I have no idea what I'm going to do. Trust me, I would love to vote with my brothers on this one, but the thing is, Loki hasn't really done anything yet. And I'm not a part of the rivalry, so I just can't really justify voting him out. General Buzz, however, annoys the crap out of me and after that conversation with Pollination Tech #9 and Ajay, I bet we could easily get rid of him. But am I really willing to risk losing Pascal and Vidcund's trust over this? _(sighs)_ That is the question.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the final vote and opens it up. "The first person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition is…Buzz," the host tells them, revealing the final vote. Both Vidcund and Loki breath sighs of relief. "Buzz, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Pascal watches as General Buzz walks behind them, the scientist's face filled with shock as he redirects his attentions to his brothers. "What happened?" he whispers.

"Lazlo switched," Vidcund whispers back, leaning in next to him.

Pascal turns to his other side and locks eyes with his youngest brother. "-Sorry," Lazlo whisper-apologizes.

Pascal turns forward, brushing him off, his face filled with sternness and determination. "Game on, Lazzie boy."

…

Lazlo is sitting alone on the shoreline, gazing out at the ocean. He sighs as he gently watches the waves trickle towards the shore. "Hey, what's up?" a voice rings out behind him; Lazlo turns around, noticing Vidcund sit down next to him. "I've been looking for you," he states.

Lazlo turns back towards the water, finding it hard to look at his brother. "I don't know," he confesses, "I've just been thinking a lot about things."

"Ah," Vidcund says, staring down at him, "About what?" he wonders.

Lazlo sighs. "You know, big picture things – like being on this island and where I stand here."

"Should I be worried?" Vidcund asks, scrunches his forehead.

Lazlo lifts his head up and stares to the side; getting a good look at his middle brother's face.

"No," Lazlo states confidently, "Not at all." Vidcund gives a small smile.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box for the final time that day and retrieves the last vote. He opens it up and glances down at the piece of parchment. "Eighth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the third member of our jury is…Vidcund," he says, turning over the final vote, which is written in Lazlo's handwriting.

" _Holy shit,"_ Circe whispers to Pollination Tech #9 on the jury, _"Lazlo grew balls."_

…

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

So Jenny thinks I'm dead weight, huh? I'll show her what dead weight can do!

…

"Crystal, we need to talk," Lazlo talks suddenly, scanning the campsite for any unwanted intruders.

"Um, okay," Crystal replies, cautiously standing up straight and tossing the last twig into the fire, "What's up?"

"My sister's playing you, Crystal," Lazlo confesses immediately.

Crystal tilts her forehead, "Wait, what?"

"I don't know what Jenny told you, but she told Pascal and I a few hours ago that she's going to screw you guys over," Lazlo tells her, still eyeing the empty campsite.

"So, she's voting me off?" Crystal wonders.

Lazlo shakes his head. "Not exactly," he states, "She's voting off Nervous cause she was afraid you'd play the idol," Lazlo says, "Now I am totally for switching my vote and voting with you two to get rid of her, but you have to let me know before we leave tonight, and it sounds like Nervous is for this plan, too."

"He is?" Crystal repeats, her head spinning at all this shocking information, "You talked to him?"

"Yeah," Lazlo nods, "And we decided it's all up to you. Whatever you decide is what we'll do," he firmly promises.

…

"Wow, Lazlo. You were devious," the Unsavory Charlatan notes, turning and smiling at the phrenologist who is sitting in the bottom row. Lazlo nods and laughs.

"Yeah, I don't know if it was obvious, but I had absolutely no idea what I was doing out there," Lazlo confesses, "Honestly, I was just winging it the entire time. And about halfway through, I realized that I was surrounded by some really great players that actually knew what they were doing, and at that point, I knew there was no way that I was going to win," Lazlo tells the host as he turns to the audience, "So instead, I just dropped all hope of winning right there and started helping other people out. Which is something that I've always enjoyed doing so, I had a blast," he beams.

The host nods. "Right, and you mostly helped Pascal, but near the end of your journey, you were kind of playing both sides and you were helping Crystal as well," the Unsavory Charlatan recalls, turning to the youngest Curious brother, "But you seemed to know exactly when to interfere and when to step back and let things work themselves out, which I thought was extremely impressive," he awes, "And you seemed happy when Pascal and Crystal were declared the final two."

"Yeah, I was," Lazlo replies, a large smile on his face, "I thought that they were the two most deserving people on the island – so I was thrilled, even though I didn't exactly find myself in the best position having to choose between them," he laughs.

"-And you choose Pascal," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds him.

"-And I chose Pascal," Lazlo repeats, "But come on, I mean, watch the show and tell me that you didn't see that one coming."

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and cocks his head. "You know that I can't," he states, before turning his attention back to Pascal. "Now this is a perfect bridgeway for something that I definitely want to talk about tonight, and that is the relationship you and Lazlo," the host says, staring at Pascal, "Because I gotta say, it was one of the most heartwarming things on the show – and it didn't start out that way – so let's roll the montage…"

…

Pascal joins Vidcund in the ocean, watching as his brother washes his arms once again. "So, what do you think about what Lazlo did last night?" Pascal asks, "Pretty devious, huh?"

Vidcund shrugs, not bothering to look up from his washing, "It's not a big deal, it's not like he did anything catastrophic – I mean, it's not like we're big fans of Buzz. Remember how much he beat all of us up in high school?"

Pascal rolls his eyes, "Please! I got a bigger beating from a pineapple than I did from Buzz," he replies, noting the rather odd expression that has formed on Vidcund's face, "But that's not the point. The point is Lazlo didn't tell us about it, he completely left us in the dark and made us believe that we were voting off Loki! Face it Vid," Pascal continues, "Lazlo is a traitor and he should not be trusted. And if he thinks that I won't vote off my own brother to win a million simoleons, he's got another thing coming!"

Across the beach, Lazlo watches as his two brothers converse with each other on the shoreline. A sinking feeling forming in the young scientist's stomach as Pascal's mannerisms become more and more exaggerated. Lazlo sighs and lightly shakes his head, "Oh geez."

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

Last night I chose to vote with another group instead of with my brothers and Pascal got pretty mad. But hey, I way I see it, it's not my fault. I didn't come here to be dragged along, I came here to win. And if you got a problem with that, you can go! – Still, I wish I didn't have to go against him, but the way things are going now doesn't look promising.

…

"Well, we're approaching the two hour mark," the Unsavory Charlatan informs the contestants, "Which means it's time for another set of embarrassing secrets," he begins, pulling out another stack of notecards.

"Just a sec, gotta poop!" Lazlo warns, crouching down towards the ocean.

Vidcund groans, "Eww! Whatever you do, Lazlo, please don't take you pants off-Oh!" Vidcund grimaces and turns around, quickly covering his eyes as Lazlo drops his swim trunks. Loki, Circe, and Jenny all turn away as well. Next to Lazlo, Pascal doesn't seem to care.

"Whoo! Now it's a party!" Pascal exclaims.

…

"We have to cut down Loki's power, Lazlo, and regain control of this thing. And if we don't vote Vidcund off tonight, then we're the enemy and those three people out there will never trust us!" Pascal exclaims, pointing in the direction of the shelter. "If we don't make this move, we'll never redeem ourselves to them or those jury members and we'll never win this thing!"

…

The Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box for the final time that day and retrieves the last vote. He opens it up and glances down at the piece of parchment. "Eighth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the third member of our jury is…Vidcund," he says, turning over the final vote, which is written in Lazlo's handwriting.

Lazlo moans and leans back, still rapidly breathing as he starts to panic. All of a sudden, Lazlo falls backwards, slipping through Crystal's fingers. He passes out on the floor.

"Lazlo!" Pascal shouts, running over to him.

…

"Well, I'm calling it – he's dead," Loki speaks up, "Boohoo, at least we got two spares!" he states, gesturing to Pascal and Vidcund. Pascal shoves Loki with his elbow. "Oww!"

"Ugh," Pascal groans, standing up from his spot to stretch his legs out. He does some arm stretches.

"Hey, what are we waiting for?" Lazlo's voice rings out behind his brother.

Pascal groans and moves his arm back, lightly pressing his hand up against his youngest brother's face. Pascal yawns, barely keeping his eyes open. "Shut up, Lazlo!" he whines, turning to look at him. Pascal moves his hand down, Lazlo flashing a smile. "Lazlo!" Pascal beams, throwing his arms around his brother and squeezing tight.

…

"I don't know if I can do this, okay? I don't know if I can do _this_ ," Lazlo states, gesturing at the scenery around them. "I'm not cut out for this Pascal, okay? I'm not you. I'm not that smart, and I'm not strategic and I'm not cut-throat," he confesses, "Crystal was right, okay? I'm not shaping myself out to be a winner."

Pascal slowly nods, a single thought racing through his brain. "But do you want to be?" he asks. "Do you really want to win? Or do you feel like it's just being forced on you?"

Lazlo presses his lips together, carefully thinking this one over. "Look, it's not just the game, okay?" Lazlo speaks up suddenly, "But lately I've just been feeling like I'm not good enough," he confesses, his eyes drifting back to the ground, "Crystal deserves so much better than me. I mean, she was being bullied at tribal council and I was too scared to even say anything! That's pathetic!" Lazlo screams, "Heck, even Loki's test subject objected!" he cries, before digging his face into his hands.

"Lazlo, stop. You're being too hard on yourself," Pascal says, placing a consoling hand on his brother's shoulder, "You're not pathetic, and Crystal knows that you care about her. And as far as the whole game thing? You cares if you're not the typical cut-throat player? Be whatever you want to be. This is your game, not anyone else's," Pascal tells him, "Lazlo, look at me, okay?" Lazlo nods and looks up at Pascal, "You are important, and I would not be here if it weren't for you," he assures him, Pascal's eyes filling with intensity. "It's you and me, okay? That's the way it's always been. And if you can't do this, then I'll take the reins and win it for us both."

Lazlo gently nods, his eyes watering a bit as he continues to stare down at the dirt. "Okay," he speaks softly, "It's okay. I can do this," he assures him, staring up at Pascal, "It's you and me 'til the end." Lazlo sniffs and gives another nod before wrapping his arms around his older brother; giving him a hug.

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

Sometimes I forget that Lazlo is a little more fragile and a lot more kind than I am. And he always has my back. But even though we have our differences, he'll always be my little brother. _(smiles)_ And that makes me really happy.

…

"Lazlo, it's a game," Crystal replies, "And Pascal is clearly the biggest threat here. None of us stand a chance against him if he makes it to the finals."

Lazlo shakes his head. "Crystal, we don't even know if that's true-" he begins.

"Look, do you want to win or not?" Crystal speaks up suddenly, "Because if you want to win, then you have to get rid of Pascal, and that's a fact."

 **Lazlo Curious  
** _Medical Researcher/Major Slob_

What am I going to do? Three days have passed, and I'm faced with the same decision once again: Am I playing for my brother or am I playing for myself?

…

"Pascal, everyone's voting you off tonight," Lazlo blurts out suddenly.

Pascal stops in his tracks. "What?" he throws his arms down.

"Crystal, Jenny, Nervous, and Loki are voting you off tonight," Lazlo elaborates, "And Loki's leading the entire thing. Crystal told me a few minutes ago, and I had to tell you because I don't you to be blindsided like Vid was," Lazlo spews out, pacing in front of his brother, "And I'm sorry, I tried to change their minds, but they didn't listen, and now there's nothing we can do!"

"I see," Pascal states, surprisingly calm, "Lazlo, we can pull this off," he says, putting a hand on Lazlo's shoulder; stopping him in place, "I just need you to vote with me."

"Okay," Lazlo says immediately, "Who are we voting for?"

Pascal looks up at Lazlo and smiles; tearing up at his brother's loyalty.

…

Jenny smiles as she approaches the last station. "You can do this Jenny, you have lots of time," she tells herself, "What was the name of Nervous's girlfriend?" Jenny sighs as Lazlo runs up behind her.

"Here," Lazlo reaches around his sister and opens the lid for answer choice A, which reads 'Denise' on the side of it.

Jenny looks up at him and smiles. "Thanks," she says, grabbing the package and racing back over to her station. Lazlo looks up at the camera and gives a devious smile.

" _You're welcome, Pascal."_

…

"Vid, I know you voted for me to win…but I want you to vote for Pascal," Lazlo speaks up suddenly.

Vidcund turns to his little brother, clearly puzzled. "What?"

"Pascal has played the best game out of everyone here. If anyone deserves to win, it's him."

Vidcund lets out a heavy sigh. "Lazlo-"

"Vidcund, I'm serious, Pascal hasn't stopped playing since he got here," Lazlo tells him, "And you're really upset about what we did and you should be, but Pascal only did that because he cares about you," he says, watching as Vidcund looks down at the dirt, "Come on Vid, you know he deserves it. He's worked harder than the two of us combined."

"It's not about how hard he worked, Lazlo!" Vidcund shouts suddenly, his eyes filled with hatred, "It's about right and wrong, and what he did to me, when I did nothing but look out for him, was sick! He doesn't deserve my vote; he doesn't deserve any votes!"

Lazlo stands up in a huff and looks down at his brother. "I can't believe you would do this! Are you so filled with hatred that you can't tell the difference between a game and our lives? We're not here to look out for each other, we were put on this island to win a million simoleons!" he shouts, "You knew from the very beginning that we all couldn't win and we all agreed that if any of us made it to the jury, we would vote for the person that was the most deserving of the money. You said yourself that you were going to vote for the person that played the best game strategically," Lazlo reminds him, "Look me in the eyes and tell me that's not Pascal."

…

Pascal's legs start shaking as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box for the final time that night. He slowly pulls out the folded piece of parchment and carefully unfolds it, gazing down at the name written inside. The Unsavory Charlatan lets out a large sigh. "Eleventh person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the sixth member of our jury is…Lazlo," he states, revealing the final vote to the crowd. The vote is written in Pascal's handwriting and has the words "I'm sorry" written on it, as well as a sobbing smiley face. Pascal bursts into tears before he even sees it.

All eyes turn to Lazlo, who looks surprisingly unfazed. "Okay, that's a rather odd reaction," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, turning towards the youngest Curious brother, "Lazlo, you don't seem surprised."

"I'm not," Lazlo shrugs, gesturing to Pascal, "-He told me this was going to happen. He said he didn't want me to be blindsided." The members of the jury look to each other, shocked. "Well Lazlo, with that, it's time to go," the host says, turning towards the exit, looking quite surprised as well.

Lazlo nods and stands up from his seat, Pascal and Crystal immediately standing up with him. Pascal opens his arms up, tears streaming heavily down his face. He is crying so hard that he can't even speak. "It's okay, Pascal. It's going to be okay," Lazlo says, grabbing his brother by the shoulder and giving him a smile. He pulls him into a hug, "Get it together, you'll be fine," he promises, giving his brother a few consoling pats on the back.

…

"And just like that, Pascal wins immunity and is a guaranteed a spot in the final two!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, throwing his hands up.

Pascal steps back, his face filled with shock as he takes in the words that the host has just said.

"Whoo yeah, Pascal!" Lazlo cheers from the bleachers.

…

Lazlo picks up the marker and writes his brother's name down. He holds it up to the camera. "Pascal, you are the toughest sim I have ever met in my life," Lazlo confidently tells the camera, "You deserve the title and every penny of the million simoleons. Let's just hope that Vidcund feels the same," Lazlo states, bowing his hand a bit as he folds up his piece of parchment and puts it inside the voting box.

…

"So you went from swearing to vote off Lazlo in Episode One to crying when you had to betray him nine episodes later," the Unsavory Charlatan recaps, gazing at Pascal. "And I gotta say, that was one of the few times out there where you actually broke down."

"Yeah, it was," Pascal recalls, "And that's why it was so hard for me to vote Lazlo off because he really didn't do anything wrong; he was just too likeable for me to take him all the way to the end," Pascal tells him, "After watching the show and seeing all these events unfold for the first time since I lived it, I realize that I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did, nor would I have had as much success as I did, if it weren't for him," Pascal says, "Even when we were still competing against each other, he was vouching for me to Vid, trying to justify what I did, which ultimately got Vidcund to vote for me in the finals. He's the reason why a lot of people trusted me even when they shouldn't have so…thank you, Lazlo," Pascal states, turning to his brother.

Lazlo nods and smiles. "Anytime," he answers. The audience cheers for him.

The Unsavory Charlatan turns to the audience, waiting patiently for them to calm down before continuing. "Now, I think it's incredibly interesting that Jenny referred to Crystal and Nervous as the Power Pair of this game, when clearly, for myself and many others, it was you and Lazlo," the host tells the winner. "Which brings us to yet another question regarding the two of you: Pascal, one of the main concerns that was addressed in Episode Six of this season, was that Lazlo was closer to Vidcund than he was to you," the Unsavory Charlatan recalls, "Which, as we all know now, clearly wasn't the case. So why did you end up going along with Crystal's plan to turn on your own alliance if you knew that you had the numbers in the long run?"

Pascal clears his throat and clasps his hands on his lap, turning to the host. "When I was on the island, one of my favorite things to do was hide in various areas on our campsite to see if I could hear anything interesting going on," Pascal confesses, "And this was part of my strategy that I didn't really tell people about, because I didn't want anyone to catch on to me. So the night before Crystal approached me with her plan, I had actually overheard a conversation between Crystal and Lazlo, where she was trying to get him to turn on our alliance and make a move. And I see her look at Lazlo and she says to him, 'Is this the game that you want to play'? And at that moment, I remember thinking to myself, 'You know what? It isn't,'" Pascal tells the audience, "So when she came to me the next day, I was already prepared to switch over. Then when she looked me in the eye and said to me, 'You know what it's like to be on the bottom,' that sealed it for me. And I realized that instead of being the villain to these people and being this powerhouse that just votes everybody off, I could be the hero and become the one that made the game winnable for them. And to me, that was worth more than a million simoleons."

"Wow Pascal, if I could cry, I definitely wouldn't cry to that," the Unsavory Charlatan says, leaning forward in thought. Pascal shrugs. "But good for you, doing the right thing. So, as you guys may recall, Crystal was the only townie on this season of Survivor, but I say she represented them well, what do you guys think?" the host asks, turning to the audience. The audience cheers. "That's what I thought. So of course we have a montage for this woman! Let's check it out!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, pointing to the television screen.

…

"Hi," Crystal's uplifting face flashes immediately on-screen, "My name is Crystal Vu, I am twenty-seven years old, and I'm from Strangetown," she greets, "And I believe that I am the most deserving of the title of Sole Survivor."

…

Crystal is hiding behind a tree in the woods, watching as Erin ties a small stone carved object to a pile of leaves a few yards away.

"Oh my gosh," Crystal whispers excitedly into the camera, "Erin found an immunity idol and she doesn't even know that she found one!" Crystal awes, maneuvering around a few dead branches, "If I can get her to give it to me, then I'm in business – or as one might say, I'm _Open For Business_!" Crystal cracks, giving a few nervous chuckles before cupping her hands together and slouching down apologetically. "-Sorry," she apologizes.

…

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I am in a very good position right now. Lazlo and Nervous are both in love with me, so Pascal is really the only one that I have to worry about going after me. I am so close to the end right now, and I'm extremely scared that something is going to screw this up. I've never wanted anything so much, and this week is definitely going to prove whether or not Crystal Vu has what it takes to win this thing. It's time to _Get to Work._ _(awkwardly smiles into the camera and gives a few nervous chuckles before slouching down apologetically)_ – Sorry.

…

The sun slowly rises above the horizon, gently lighting up the campsite where four of the remaining survivors lie. Meanwhile, in the woods, Crystal is walking towards the water well, holding two empty containers in her hands. She walks past a bush, when she feels something grab onto her leg. Crystal screams as she is pulled into the plant. "Pascal!" Crystal shrieks when she finds him behind her, sitting inside of the gigantic plant, "What the-?"

"It's Thorny Bush Thursday!" Pascal chimes, doing jazz hands enthusiastically in front of the young townie.

Crystal groans. "Please tell that is not some weird sexual innuendo," she states.

…

Crystal stands alone for a moment, staring out at the waterfall. She slowly exhales, taking the soothing scenery in around her, "It's so peaceful here, I don't think I've never felt this calm before-"

"HEY CRYSTAL!"

Crystal shrieks and abruptly towards around, accidentally knocking the person behind her square in the jaw.

"Oww!" Pascal moans, holding his hand up to his jaw in pain, "What was that for?"

…

Crystal groans as she starts to stir. She slowly opens her eyes and turns around, Loki continuously tapping her. "What? Whoa! What the-?" Loki shushes her, immediately cupping his hand over her mouth.

"Careful – we don't want anyone to hear us," Loki tells her, "Now come on, I need to talk to you about something. If you agree, don't bite my hand." Crystal scrunches her eyebrows, giving Loki a puzzled look. "-Perfect. Let's go," Loki says, leading her out of the shelter.

Crystal groans as Loki leads her into the woods, letting go of her hand once they arrive there. "Why do I keep getting into these weird situations?" Crystal asks herself.

"-Because you are constantly surrounded by weirdos," Loki answers, frantically checking the area for unwanted visitors. Finding none, Loki turns back to her and brings his hands together. "Okay. Crystal, I know we haven't gotten along before at all, in any way, shape or form, and you're really not my type, but I need your help."

Crystal crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. "Wow, you really don't know how to talk to women."

…

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Well, Loki won immunity, which means my one chance at saving my alliance is ruined. I must be cursed or something. God! Did Erin put something in my water when I wasn't looking? _(groans)_ – This just really sucks, cause I have no idea what we're going to do now. _(sighs)_ When are things going to finally start going my way?

…

The Unsavory Charlatan clasps his hands together. "I can definitely sense a lot of hostility in this room right now. Circe definitely looks upset," the host states, "Nervous, do you think her behavior is justified?" he asks.

"Uh," Nervous begins, looking over at Circe and then at Loki.

"I'll answer that," Crystal interrupts, raising her hand up next to him. "Yes. I think her anger is justified," she answers, "It was sucky what they did to her last week."

"Oh boohoo, get over it, girly!" Loki chimes in from a few seats down, "It's not like Circe ever had a chance of winning this thing anyway," he argues, "As far as I'm concerned, she wasn't even a player."

Crystal leans forward, narrowing her eyes at him. "Circe was a player, and you only got rid of her because you were scared by the fact that she was outplaying you!"

"I always knew I liked that girl," Circe whispers to Pollination Tech #9, giving a smirk.

…

Twenty minutes later, both Loki and Crystal are still standing. The Unsavory Charlatan now standing between the pair. "We are almost an hour and a half into this challenge and both of you look like you are about to croak," he notes, both of the contestants appearing very fatigued and sweaty. "Last immunity challenge it came down to the two of you and this time is no different," he says, "No matter what happens, one thing is for sure: You two are both tough competitors."

"Oww!" Crystal shrieks, gazing down a bit at the discolored spot that has appeared on her leg. "I think something stung me!" she says, rubbing her leg a bit.

Loki laughs. "Give it up, Crystal! Even nature is telling you that you can't win!"

"Hey, knock it off, Loki!" Lazlo shouts, sitting up from his seat on the sidelines. "Quit giving her a hard time!"

Loki cocks his head, unable to believe what he was hearing. "What?"

"You heard me, quit putting down my girlfriend!" Lazlo shouts back. Nearby, Crystal is speechless.

"Look Curious, I don't know who the hell you think you are but-" Loki steps forward, causing his bucket to tip over; water falls on top of him. "Damn it!"

"And with that, Crystal wins immunity!" The Unsavory Charlatan announces, throwing his hands up in his victorious pose.

"Really?" Crystal speaks up, her face beaming, "Woohoo! I never win anything!" she shouts, turning to Nervous and flashing him a smirk. Crystal tosses her string down and throws her hands up, the water from the bucket drenching her from head to toe. She cheers once more and grabs Lazlo, kissing him on the side of his face before pulling him into a hug.

…

Crystal stands up and slowly walks over to the voting station. She looks down at the empty piece of parchment situated on the table in front of her and sighs. Crystal taps nervously on the table for a few minutes, before reaching down and picking up the marker. She writes a person's name down and holds it up to the camera. "You've been with me since the very beginning…I'm sorry I have to do this…" Crystal says between tears, "…I feel so horrible…please forgive me." Crystal cries as she places a single heart next to the person's name, a few tears falling off of her cheeks and striking the piece of parchment. Crystal takes a deep breath and folds the piece of parchment in half before gently placing it inside the voting box. Crystal wipes her face before returning to the rest of her teammates.

…

"Tenth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the fifth member of our jury is…Jenny," the Unsavory Charlatan says, revealing the final name to the crowd. "Jenny, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Jenny nods and stands up, Crystal and Nervous immediately standing up with her. "I'm so sorry," Crystal says, on the verge of tears, as she gives the mother a hug.

"It's okay," Jenny reassures her, "I understand. You got me good, Vu."

"Bye Jenny," Nervous says, softly hugging her, "Thanks for everything." Jenny gives a smile small and pats him gently on the back before grabbing her torch from the wall.

Jenny sighs as she places her torch in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks up at her and shakes his head.

"Jenny, the tribe has spoken," he announces, snuffing Jenny's torch out in one swift motion, "It's time for you to go."

Jenny nods and turns to the other survivors. "Good luck, everyone," Jenny says, scanning her former tribemates over before holding her gaze on Crystal. She smiles knowingly, before turning around and exiting through the archway.

…

"Hey, I know you probably don't want to talk about tonight, but…any clue what you're going to do?" Crystal wonders.

Pascal nods and stands up, brushing his hands off on his pants. "I was wondering when someone was going to ask me about that," he confesses, "And the truth is, I've already made up my mind."

"Oh," Crystal states, looking as if the wind was knocked out of her, "And I'm guessing I can't change your mind," she adds.

Pascal shakes his head. "No," he says, giving Crystal a gentle pat on the back. "But good game, Vu."

Crystal turns around and watches as Pascal walks back to the campsite, carrying a few large seashells in his hand. Her eyes catch the camera, her expression filled with defeat.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Well, I guess that's it for me. _(wipes tears away from eyes)_ – I guess I just thought that he would at least give me an explanation. I guess I just thought that he would at least give me something, but I guess I was wrong. _(wipes tears away and stares off into the distance)_ – It just really sucks because I gave so much to get to this point, only to end up one day short. _(sighs)_ But I guess that's life, and sometimes it's not fair, no matter how much you wish it could be.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan carefully unfolds the piece of parchment and gazes down at the name inside; he sighs. "Twelfth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition, and the seventh and final member of our jury is…" Crystal sighs and slowly starts to stand up, grabbing her bag. "…Nervous," the host completes, showing the vote to the crowd, "Nervous, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Crystal freezes in place, her mouth open in shock; across the room, the jury is stunned as well, as Nervous grabs his torch. Nervous stops in front of his blonde-haired teammate and leans down towards her. "Good luck," he whispers. Crystal quickly turns around and gives him a hug, before sitting back down in her seat; her legs shaking.

"Oh my God," she states, still in a state of shock.

Crystal turns to Pascal, the young scientist trying to hold back a smug smile next to her. "Pretty badass," he mouths, his face beaming. Crystal nods weakly and leans back in her seat, folding her hands on her lap.

…

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Day thirty-one, I can't believe I'm here. I have spent the entire game at the bottom of this tribe. How the hell did I pull this off?

…

"Crystal, you were one hell of a player," the Unsavory Charlatan declares, narrowing in on the formally dressed woman sitting in the front row. "And I mean that in the nicest way possible," he tells her; Crystal laughs, "Why do you think you were so good at this game?"

"Well, I think it had a lot to do with me having a professional background in business," Crystal answers honestly, "Working in sales, you definitely learn how to talk to people and how to get them to invest in your product. And those skills were incredibly useful while I was out there on the island."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods. "Now, I have a few questions to ask you here, because you did so many different moves in this game that were oftentimes overshowed by Pascal's that I think are worth discussing," the host begins, rearranging his notecards. "One of them – and we just saw a clip from this episode – was in Episode Seven, when you teamed up with Loki and you tried to get rid of Pascal. Although Nervous later said that you sabotaged it, but we'll get to that later-"

"Please don't," Crystal states, giving a nervous laugh.

"But anyway, you team up with Loki to try to get rid of Pascal, after Loki trashed you at the previous tribal council," the host reminds Crystal, "Why did you do that?" he asks.

Crystal leans back a bit in her seat; she looks up at the ceiling. "Um, honestly, I just felt sorry for the guy," she confesses, "They didn't actually show this on T.V. but he was so lost after Vidcund was voted out, the guy was in a state of shock for the first day or so."

"-They broke Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning to the crowd, "Now, let's talk about that heartbreaking tribal council where you had to vote off Jenny."

"Yeah, I mean, that was tough," Crystal recalls, "Jenny was with me since the very beginning and voting her out was without a doubt the toughest thing that I had to do in the game."

"When you found out that Jenny was going after Nervous and essentially breaking you guys' entire alliance, I must say you handled that very well," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "Were you upset about the sabotage, especially when it was revealed earlier on in the show that she had planned for a while to split you guys up?" he wonders.

Crystal leans forward, her eyes to the ceiling. "Uh, I was little upset that she betrayed us, but I knew where she was coming from. Nervous and I were tight and if it had come down to the three of us, we probably would've taken each other – but that would've been a tough decision for me."

"I see," the Unsavory Charlatan says, flipping over his notecard, "This next question is for Pascal, so we're going to go back to him for a moment," he tells the runner-up, "Pascal, this was an observation that was tweeted at us last week. Feel free to comment on it," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks, taking a deep breath before he starts to read, "'Pascal, you went from being the guy that everyone thought they could beat, to being the guy that no one could beat', what do you have to say to that?" the host wonders.

Pascal smiles and laughs. "First of all, I agree with that statement, only they would have to add a slight modification to the end of it saying: 'except for Lazlo'," he adds, "I think Loki even said in Episode One that I had absolutely no chance of making it the full thirty-one days. But honestly, Survivor is a simple matter of goals. It's like 'here's your goal, now what are you prepared to do to reach it'? And I was prepared to my hands dirty."

"This brings us to our next segment, a segment we like to call: Loki Said It, So the Reverse Happened. Let's take a look at the clips!" the Unsavory Charlatan exclaims, turning towards the screen.

…

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

Hmm…do I think Pascal can survive in the wilderness for thirty-one days? _(smiles to the camera)_ Not a chance.

...

 **Pascal Curious  
** _Mad Scientist/Unstable Curious Brother_

It's hard to believe how far I've come. I came here on day one with my two brothers thinking that the whole tribe was going to go after me because of my intelligence. And when that didn't happen right away, I quickly took control of the game so I would be ready for when it did. But the most impressive thing is, I maintained control of my own destiny throughout the entire thirty-one days, and tonight I sincerely hope that the jury respects that.

…

A few minutes later, Pascal and Crystal are leaving their old campsite for the final time. "Goodbye Vidcund Sucks, hello final tribal council," Pascal says, grabbing his belongings and exiting with Crystal off the lot.

…

"And just like that, Pascal has won immunity and is safe from the vote," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "As for Crystal and Nervous, I will see you tomorrow at tribal council, where one of the two of you will be the last person voted out of this game. I will give you the day to decide. Use it wisely, because this might be a million simoleon decision," the Unsavory Charlatan advises them.

Crystal and Nervous nod, before making their way past the jury with Pascal; Vidcund glares at his brother when he passes by. "Unbelievable," he mouths, shaking his head to Loki.

"He won't win," Loki mouths back to him.

…

Everyone intently watches in silence as the host reaches into the voting box for the final time that season and pulls out the last remaining vote. The Unsavory Charlatan slowly opens the piece of parchment up and gazes down at it, his face still in a line. "The winner of Survivor: Strangetown Edition…" the host sighs and turns over the vote, revealing Pascal's name written in Vidcund's handwriting.

…

"Please," Loki snickers, rolling his eyes at this statement. He looks to the host. "I think it's cute that Crystal thinks that she can play in the big leagues when she hasn't even done one strategic move all season."

…

Crystal is walking through the moonlit woods, leading Lazlo by the hand to the waterfall. "Uh, Crystal?" Lazlo speaks up as they walk further into the darkness, "Where are we going?"

"Just a little bit further. I need to talk to you about something," she answers. They approach the rocky side of the waterfall and sit down. Crystal looks at him and sighs. "Lazlo, I need you to be open-minded right now, so that you can consider something a little bit different," she begins, still hanging onto his hands.

"Um, okay," he says, staring directly into her light blue eyes, "What about?"

"Okay," she states, letting out a gentle exhale, "What if instead of voting with your brothers tomorrow, you voted for Loki with us?" she asks.

…

"You have control right now, Pascal," she begins, "But control is only a good thing in this game if you can keep it."

Pascal cocks his eyebrow, intrigued. "I'm listening…"

"There's something here that is threatening your control of this game," Crystal continues, "Two of your alliance members – Vidcund and Loki – are too close. Now let's say you take out the rest of us and you're only left with your core alliance."

Pascal nods, "Okay."

"Well, what makes you think that they wouldn't just immediately turn around and vote you off?" she wonders, "Vidcund and Loki are a solid pair, and Lazlo is best friends with your brother. You vote us off, you're fourth at best. Third if you somehow win immunity," she states.

Pascal crosses his arms. "Go on."

"Now, let's say instead of doing that, you take Loki out tomorrow with us," Crystal tells him, "Final six, you're guaranteed to be in the majority. For sure you have myself, Nervous, and Jenny – even if Vidcund tries to vote you out in vengeance, he couldn't," she promises, "Your biggest threat is gone, you got him before he got you, and you get credited for making a game-changing move. Not to mention the fact that you regain Circe's jury vote. And you know, she is the Queen of Persuasion."

…

"Please!" Loki states, brushing it off, "You were out the moment you stepped on this island. You're a joke, Vu! And I don't hear anyone refuting that."

Around him, everyone is silent. The Unsavory Charlatan and the survivors look over at Lazlo; he gazes down at the ground and says nothing.

"-I'll refute that!" a voice calls out next to him. Everyone on sight turns and looks to Nervous, who is holding his hand up.

" _What_?" Loki speaks up, unable to believe what he is hearing.

"You heard me," Nervous answers with a smile, "I think Crystal is the best player out here. She beat your wife and she beat your sister, and they were both better players than you – so I really don't think you have a chance."

Loki waves his hand, disbelievingly "Psh! Believe me, I'll be here on day thirty, but you two will be long gone."

…

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Test Subject/Mohawk King_

It's day thirty and it makes me happy because Loki was wrong, both Crystal and I did make it to this point in the game, but it makes me sad because after tonight, one of us won't make it to day thirty-one. But no matter who goes home tonight, I just want us to have a great last day together.

…

"Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, turning to the professional villain after the television screen has gone to black, "Any comments about that segment?"

"You know, everyone talks about how great of a fortune-teller Erin, but if you ask me, I'm pretty good at predicting what is not going to happen," Loki states, flashing his signature smirk.

"-Which ties us perfectly into our first poll question of the day!" the Unsavory Charlatan chimes, enthusiastically throwing his hands up. "Now Crystal, you got impressively far in this game, but you still ended up getting second place. Which brings us to the poll question: Did Erin's curse work?" he asks, turning to the audience, "Visit our website and vote now."

Lazlo takes out his phone and starts frantically pressing down on it. "Uh…I can't seem to get past the ads!" he chimes.

"-Not you!" the Unsavory Charlatan groans, swiping the phone from Lazlo. "While the audience is voting, let's have a discussion about this topic. Circe, before we go directly to the source, what do you think? Did Erin's curse work?"

Circe cocks her head, pondering this over. "I would say, yes, in some instances it did, because Crystal was unlucky in several aspects of the game," Circe answers, "And she and Lazlo did have a lot of relationship obstacles that came up along the way. Also, Lazlo never stopped spitting up roaches, and that was the first part of the curse…"

"Yeah, but Lazlo never fell for Erin which was the whole reason why she wanted to put the curse on him in the first place," Vidcund chimes in next to her, "So I don't think it did."

"Crystal, what do you think?" the host asks, gazing down at the finalist.

"Um, I think there were a lot of instances where I thought her curse did work, but at the end of the day, I don't believe that had any major impact on what happened on the island."

"So the results are in, and surprisingly over half of our viewers thought that it did have an impact on Crystal's game, with around 54% of people voting 'yes' to the question," the Unsavory Charlatan says, turning to the poll results that are plastered in a red and blue pie chart on the screen. "Erin, are you satisfied by these results?" he asks the contestant.

Erin smiles from the top row and nods. "Absolutely. This'll be great for business!" she beams. "Now I can stop selling raccoons!"

"Oh Erin, still as nutty as ever," the Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head a bit before turning to the audience. "As you guys know, this season we took fourteen people from Strangetown and put them on an island together, and what made this particularly interesting was that almost everybody knew each other before they even stepped foot on the sand," the host reminds them, "This meant that it was arguably easier for some people to succeed at this game than others, because it's hard to shake off your reputation – for example, everyone knew that Pascal was a genius, so he had to try to cover it up," the host states, "But there were two people on the island that seemed to have a terrible disadvantage in this game as a result of their poor at-home reputations. And those people are none other than Circe and Loki," the host points out, gesturing down to the pair. "Circe, a perfect example of this occurred on day one, when everyone on your tribe was terrified of you before you even opened your mouth. In fact, Crystal even said that she had to align with you, because she was terrified of what you would do if you guys weren't allies," the Unsavory Charlatan recalls.

"Yeah," Circe speaks up, "But you know, I kinda liked that they were afraid of me, because no one messed with me for a while."

"Interesting," the Unsavory Charlatan responds, before turning towards the other end of the bleachers, "Loki, what about you? Do you think the fact that you were already known as the town villain beforehand ruined your chances at the money?" he wonders.

"Oh yeah," Loki replies, "I knew going into this that I had a zero percent chance of winning. Even Crystal told me on the show that she didn't like me, and she was a total marshmallow!" Loki exclaims.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods. "So why even go on?"

"Cause I had to beat this guy," Loki answers, pointing to Vidcund, who is situated next to him. Vidcund laughs. "And I did, so I'm happy."

"But if you really thought that you didn't have a chance of winning going into the game, then why not play ruthlessly?" the host questions.

"Because I knew if wanted to last on the show, I had to do the opposite," Loki tells him, "I had to dial down 'the Loki' and become less scary, because that's what sent Circe packing."

A few seats down from Loki, Circe rolls her eyes. "I don't think that was the only reason." Circe turns to her ex-husband and shoots him a knowing glare.

The Unsavory Charlatan claps his hands in excitement, still hanging onto a stack of notecards. "Which brings us to our second poll question: What do you think was the most ruthless move in the game?" the host states, reading from a notecard, "Was it Loki voting out Circe over Vidcund, Pascal sacrificing Vidcund to save his own game, or Crystal using Jenny's own idol to blindside her?" the host wonders, before turning towards the survivors. "What do you guys think?" he asks, narrowing in on one of the contestants, "Circe, would you care to answer?"

"I would," Circe states, sitting up in her seat, "Well, the most heartless move in the game was obviously Loki voting me out over Vidcund and essentially saying 'see yah' to our five years of marriage."

The audience starts booing Loki.

Loki repeatedly moves his hands down, "Hey, in my defense, our marriage was on the rocks for a few years before then, so I don't think it was that insulting." The audience booes once more.

Nervous slowly raises his hand. "Yes, Nervous?" the Unsavory Charlatan acknowledges.

"If you were to ask me, I think the most ruthless move in the game was the one that was both strategic and personal, which was of course Pascal voting out Vidcund," Nervous answers. "It was the harshest blindside and the move that essentially turned the game on its head."

"And unsurprisingly, 75% of our viewers agree that Pascal voting out Vidcund was the most ruthless move in the game," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the Survivors, gesturing towards the poll results which are displayed on the television monitor behind them.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles and turns back towards the audience. "For the next few minutes, we are going to take some questions from Twitter," the host tells the contestants, "Obviously, we have a lot of questions for Pascal, since he won this season…and every time I say that, I feel like I'm going to vomit." The audience laughs.

"Pascal, when did you first suspect that you were going to win this thing?" the host states, reading from another one of his notecards.

"Day one, after I almost led my tribe off a cliff and I didn't get a single vote," Pascal answers quickly. He stops and gives a small chuckle, "-No. But honestly, I'm still in shock that I won. Watching this for the first time since this whole thing happened, I'm surprised that some of those people voted for me, especially since I screwed them over," Pascal confesses, "But I think at the end of the day, they recognized that it was nothing personal, it was a game, and I was just trying to play it the best I could."

The host tilts his forehead. "So you never thought that you were going to win this thing?"

"Not really. Before I was declared the winner, I thought Crystal had won," Pascal tells him.

"Interesting," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning over his notecard, "A lot of people on Twitter and on the Survivor forums thought that you were more of a villain on this season than a hero," the host informs the mad scientist, "Looking back on your gameplay from this season, are you surprised that they saw as a villain?"

"No, not at all," Pascal replies, "I mean, I out-villained the villains!" Pascal reminds the audience, "I was definitely not a hero – I caused trouble throughout the game and I essentially lived for the chaos," Pascal laughs, "But I like to think of my game self as more of a friendly dictator as opposed to a ruthless dictator. I was ruthless at times, but only when I had to be. And both times that I was ruthless, it was either because someone crossed me or because I was trying to protect someone else."

"I see," the Unsavory Charlatan says, looking rather disinterested by Pascal's words, his eyes still glued to his notecards. "Here's a rather interesting comment from Twitter. This one fan tweets: In all my years of watching Survivor, I have never seen two finalists who respected each other so much' and they hash-tagged it, Cryscal," the host says.

"Oh dear God," Circe groans from behind the pair, as Crystal nervously laughs in front of her.

The Unsavory Charlatan groans and turns to the chief of staff. "I agree with you, Circe. It's very vomit-worthy, but I do agree with the fan's comment about Pascal and Crystal, especially regarding both of their gameplays, and here's some clips to prove it…" he trails off, turning towards the television.

…

"Now, let's say instead of doing that, you take Loki out tomorrow with us," Crystal tells Pascal, "Final six, you're guaranteed to be in the majority. For sure you have myself, Nervous, and Jenny – even if Vidcund tries to vote you out in vengeance, he couldn't," she promises, "Your biggest threat is gone, you got him before he got you, and you get credited for making a game-changing move. Not to mention the fact that you regain Circe's jury vote. And you know, she is the Queen of Persuasion."

Pascal nods, carefully thinking this over. "Uh-huh," he speaks up, "But how do I know that you guys won't immediately turn around and vote me off, making me sixth?" he asks.

"Because…why would we bite the hand that gave us a chance?" Crystal says, pausing to allow Pascal to ponder this over. Pascal sighs and stares down at the ground. "-Pascal," Crystal speaks into the silence, "You are a man of great integrity. You know what it's like to be on the bottom of the totem pole," Crystal reminds him, "Why not shake things up and give us little guys a chance?" she wonders.

Pascal lifts his head up, bringing his hand up to his face, still thinking this through. "You're a smart woman, Crystal," he tells the young townie, "I'll think about it."

…

Crystal sighs and covers her eyes, unable to face the final two votes. Nervous grabs her hand as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box once again.

"Sixth vote – Vidcund," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, revealing the vote to the survivors. Crystal uncovers her face when she hears his name.

"Wait, what?" Vidcund speaks up from his seat. Next to him, Loki is puzzled.

Crystal squints ahead, recognizing Pascal's handwriting on the piece of parchment. She turns to Pascal, who raises his eyebrows a few times and mouths the words 'little guys.'

…

"Look, after all that, I gotta ask – Why did you vote with us?" Crystal wonders.

Pascal crosses his arms, a sassy smirk on his face. "Come on Crystal, you know why," he states.

Crystal scrunches her forehead and shakes her head. "No, I don't. You gotta tell me."

Pascal sighs and looks her over. "Okay," he says, "I thought about you said to me a few days ago," Pascal confesses, "You know, when you said that I know what it's like to be on the bottom?" he reiterates, "And back at the reward challenge, you were the only one who stood up for me. So…thanks," he says sincerely, "But I hope you know now that we're even, we're still competitors," he reminds her, "It's game on, Vu."

Crystal slowly nods, her eyes shining at this news. "Gotcha," she speaks up, "Game on."

The pair shake hands before they both turn away from each other, walking in opposing directions. _"I gotta get her out as soon as possible,"_ Pascal mutters to himself as he heads to the waterfall.

" _I gotta get him out as soon as possible,"_ Crystal mutter to herself as she heads back to the campsite.

…

Pascal pulls his hand down as he and Crystal stare out at the waterfall. "Hey, why doesn't anyone here want to play the game?" Crystal states suddenly, her eyes not leaving the water.

Pascal sighs, "I don't know," he answers, "Looks you and I are the only ones."

Crystal turns to Pascal and smirks, giving a gentle, reassuring nod. "Yeah, looks like it."

…

Ten minutes later, Pascal, Crystal, and Nervous are still in the challenge. Pascal groans as he shifts his weight between his legs. "Man, I haven't been in this much pain since I gave birth," he says, looking up at Crystal, who is crouched next to him.

"-Then quit," she smirks.

Pascal laughs and shakes his head. "Not a chance, Vu."

…

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

I don't get it. Why am I having such a hard time getting rid of Pascal? Ever since the merge, I've wanted to take him out. But now that I'm finally getting the chance to, I can't. What's wrong with me? I can't keep him around. If I keep him around, he wins, so I have no choice; I have to vote Pascal off tonight. I can't vote off Lazlo. _(sighs)_ – I can't vote off Lazlo…

…

Crystal picks her foot up and sets it back down, crunching down a pile of nearby leaves. "You know, it's actually kinda funny," she begins, "I know you guys always thought that Nervous and I were inseparable and that we would take each other to the end, but ever since Circe was voted out, in the back of my mind I always pictured you and I going up against one another at the final tribal council," Crystal reveals, moving towards him; Pascal immediately turning around when he hears this, "I mean, do you now how badass that would be? Two top competitors fighting for the million, where the jury has no choice but to vote for one of us because we're the only options?" she proclaims, her excitement fading as she gazes down at the dirt, "But it doesn't look like that's going to happen."

"I don't know…it might," Pascal speaks suddenly; Crystal lifts her head up and beams,

…

"And just like that, Pascal wins immunity and is a guaranteed a spot in the final two!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, throwing his hands up.

Pascal steps back, his face filled with shock as he takes in the words that the host has just said.

"Whoo yeah, Pascal!" Lazlo cheers from the bleachers. Nearby, several of the jury members look disappointed.

All of a sudden, Pascal breaks down crying, the weight of thirty days of frustration and heartache seemingly lifting off his shoulders. The mad scientist crouches down onto the floor and starts crying into his hands.

"And Pascal is down!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces as Crystal comes over and hugs Pascal from behind.

"Pascal, you did it. You won," Crystal speaks, turning around and gazing into his eyes. "You beat me fair and square," she sighs.

Pascal gazes back at Crystal for a few moments, before pulling her into another hug. Neither of them saying a word.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan carefully unfolds the piece of parchment and gazes down at the name inside; he sighs. "Twelfth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition, and the seventh and final member of our jury is…" Crystal sighs and slowly starts to stand up, grabbing her bag. "…Nervous," the host completes, showing the vote to the crowd, "Nervous, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Crystal freezes in place, her mouth open in shock; across the room, the jury is stunned as well, as Nervous grabs his torch. Nervous stops in front of his blonde-haired teammate and leans down towards her. "Good luck," he whispers. Crystal quickly turns around and gives him a hug, before sitting back down in her seat; her legs shaking.

"Oh my God," she states, still in a state of shock.

Crystal turns to Pascal, the young scientist trying to hold back a smug smile next to her. "Pretty badass," he mouths, his face beaming. Crystal nods weakly and leans back in her seat, folding her hands on her lap.

…

The audience cheers as the montage ends. "Yes, we had a great final two – minus Pascal," the Unsavory Charlatan adds, turning out towards the crowd. "But really, the amount of respect that those two had for each other as players of the game was astounding," the host reiterates, "Although, after seeing all those clips, I think the real question is, Crystal-" the Unsavory Charlatan begins, turning towards the townie, "If you had won the final immunity challenge instead of Pascal, would you have taken him to the finals?"

"Not a chance," Crystal says into her microphone, "I think it's hilarious that Pascal thought that he couldn't beat me, because honestly, I knew I couldn't beat him."

"Really?" the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, "Not even with all the toes he stepped on?"

"Yeah," Crystal answers, "I mean, he was the guy in control, he was the puppet master. I played him, but he also played me. I knew going into that final tribal that Lazlo was going to vote for him, Loki was for sure going to vote for Pascal – because he _hated_ me, and I thought Jenny and Vidcund would as well, so I thought I was fighting for every single vote I could get," she explains.

"And that's what makes Survivor so exciting, because no matter how confident you may be going into that final tribal council, you have no idea what the jury thinks," the Unsavory Charlatan says, before turning to the left to gazes into one of the side cameras. "'We're going to take a short break, but we'll be back with more of these guys in moments. Stay tuned!"


	13. Reunion Show Part 2: Future Endeavors

**Survivor: Strangetown Edition**

 **Reunion Show Part Two** **–** _Future Endeavors_

"Welcome back to the Survivor: Strangetown Edition Reunion Show!" the Unsavory Charlatan announces, "Now before we continue talking about the jury, let's go back to Pascal and Crystal for a moment," the host states, "Obviously, when you film a group of people twenty-four hours a day for thirty-one days straight, a lot of content doesn't make the show," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds the audience, "That being said, here's a clip from the infamous Episode Six: 'Little Guys', where Pascal tells Crystal right before tribal council that he and Lazlo are voting for Vidcund. Check it out!" the host states, turning towards the video playing on the television screen.

…

Crystal sighs as she strolls into the woods, taking in a deep breath of fresh air with every step she takes towards the waterfall. Crystal screams as she is pulled into a shrub from behind, her heart racing mile a minute as she attempts to steady herself on the dirt. "Pascal!" Crystal whisper hisses, finding herself face-to-face with the smiling mad scientist, "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Because I have no other way to subtly catch your attention," Pascal answers, carefully scanning the area, "I've been waiting here for three hours to tell you something important. Remember that plan you had about splitting up Loki and Vidcund?" Pascal questions.

"Uh, yeah," Crystal replies.

"-We're in."

Crystal scrunches her forehead, confused. "Wait, _we_?"

Pascal nods. "Yes. Lazlo and I are dropping Vidcund. We have to do it; it's for his own good," Pascal defends.

Crystal shakes her head, her facial expression showing that she is clearly not buying it. "Lazlo wouldn't do that."

"No, he will. Trust me," Pascal firmly states.

"Right, and I'm supposed to trust the person that took out two members of my alliance?" Crystal reminds Pascal, a skeptical look in her eyes.

Pascal shrugs. "You did yesterday," he reminds her.

"Okay," Crystal sighs, "But if you screw me over tonight, there is no chance of me voting for you in the finals!" she warns him.

Pascal nods, a small smirk forming on his face. "So you think I'll make the finals, huh?"

Crystal smiles, her face flushing a bit. "Shut up," she playfully states. Crystal gets up from out of the shrub and gives the young scientist a brush-off with her hand, before exiting the area.

Pascal turns to the camera and smiles. "She thinks I'm going to make the finals," he tells them, "Psh, yeah right!" Pascal laughs.

…

"So as you can see, Pascal was crazy twenty-four seven," the Unsavory Charlatan remarks, turning away from the television set and back towards the audience. "As many of you may recall, halfway through the jury selection, we asked the five jury members if they would consider casting a vote for each of the final four contestants – Pascal, Crystal, Nervous, and Lazlo – at the final tribal council," the host informs the crowd, "At the time, it was revealed that all five of the jury members – Pollination Tech #9, Circe, Vidcund, Loki, and Jenny – were considering voting for Lazlo, everyone minus Loki was considering voting for Crystal, and now I can safely and legally tell all the Survivors and the audience that the three people who were considering voting for Nervous were Pollination Tech #9, Circe, and Jenny," the host reads from his notecard.

"Really? Wow!" Nervous beams from his seat in the front row.

"That is wow. Good job, kid!" the Unsavory Charlatan tells him, "Anyway, interestingly enough, only one of the five jury members said that they would consider voting for Pascal if he made it to the final two," the host continues, turning towards the winner and forcing a smile, "Pascal, I bet you're interested in learning who the one person was who said they would've voted for you when you were in the Final Four."

Pascal confidently nods. "I am."

"And I bet the audience is interested as well," the Unsavory adds, beaming to the crowd, "So jury, who was the person who said that they would vote for Pascal?"

The five jury members at the time look amongst each other before Vidcund slowly raises his hand up. All the remaining members of the jury, the finalists, the host, and the audience are shocked.

"Oh my gosh," Pascal cups his hand over his mouth.

"You're _kidding_ me!" the Unsavory Charlatan cries, his mouth still agape. "You have got to be kidding me!"

Vidcund shakes his head. "Nope," he answers, throwing his hands up defensively, "He's my brother! Come on, of course he was going to get my vote!"

"Really?" Lazlo chimes in front of him, turning around to face Vidcund, "But you told me that same day that you wouldn't vote for him!"

"I was being dramatic, that was my thing on the show!" Vidcund elaborates, "After the merge, there was never even a question as to who I was giving my vote to. I mean, just look at the footage and tell me he's not a winner!" Vidcund argues, reaching forward and giving Pascal a pat on the back. In the front row, his older brother is holding back tears.

"Now, this brings up another moment that I was trying to figure out this season," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, "Vidcund, I believe it was later on in that very same episode, Episode Eight, where you were talking to Lazlo in the woods and you told him that Crystal was a bigger strategic threat than Pascal."

Vidcund nods, "Right."

"Why did you tell him that?" the host wonders, "Because personally, when I first saw that moment, I thought you were just trying to mess with your brothers."

"No." Vidcund shakes his head, "Believe it or not, I was actually trying to help them out," Vidcund confesses, "While I was living at Ponderosa with all the other jury members, so many of them were big fans of Crystal, and I knew that if she made it to the end, she would probably win, since a lot of them would've voted for her over Pascal, who arguably had the better game between himself and Lazlo," Vidcund explains, "So when I told Lazlo that Crystal was the bigger threat, I was trying to influence them to go after her, so that Pascal would ultimately win. Cause he sure as hell didn't vote me out for nothing!" Vidcund laughs.

"Aww, so Vidcund likes his brother, who knew?" the Unsavory Charlatan remarks, shuffling his notecards. "Speaking of great relationships, arguably, the best friendship on this season was the one between Crystal Vu and Nervous Subject. Let's take a look!" the host smiles.

…

Crystal walks towards the beach, watching as Nervous Subject sits in a fetal position on the shoreline, his body shaking. She flashes the camera a troubled look before making her way over to Nervous. "Hey, uh – are you okay?" she asks.

"I don't like it here, there's too much sun!" Nervous shouts, unable to control his volume, "I want to go home! No wait, no I don't," he concludes, rocking his body back and forth.

Crystal smiles and sits down next to him. "Hey, it's okay. You can do this," she reassures him, "I mean if anyone could survive in harsh conditions it's you."

…

The Unsavory Charlatan grabs the final vote and opens it up, glancing down at the piece parchment. "The second sim voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition is…Erin," the host tells them, revealing the final vote. "Erin, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Erin stands up, clearly shocked as Crystal gives a sigh of relief, putting her hands over her mouth. Circe turns to Nervous, glaring daggers at him as he looks down at the floor.

"I'm not your slave Circe," Nervous speaks up, finding the courage to speak, "Not here," he states.

…

All six of the remaining members of the Death Conquerors walk onto their campsite and begin putting away their belongings. Nervous is standing away from the group near the shelter, ducking his head as Circe walks by, attempting to avoid her glares. Crystal walks over and hugs him.

"Thank you," she whispers to him, "And I hope you know, I got your back."

Nervous nods, unable to meet her gaze. "I know," he states.

 **Crystal Vu  
** _Business Executive/Normal Person_

Thank God! It would've been such a slap in the face if I turned out to be the first person voted off of this tribe. _(breathes a sigh of relief)_ – Maybe now I can finally start enjoying things here.

…

Crystal Vu is sitting on the edge of the shoreline, looking out at the ocean. Nervous walks up from behind and sits down next to her. Sensing his presence, Crystal sighs. "I just don't know what we're going to do," Crystal speaks suddenly, "If we don't get rid of the right one tomorrow, we could be toast. And not the good kind," Crystal adds.

"There's a good kind?" Nervous wonders, tilting his forehead, "I wouldn't know, I'm not allowed to eat it. Loki doesn't usually let me go in the kitchen."

Crystal scrunches her eyebrows and turns to him, this comment immediately catching her attention. "Then where do you eat?" she asks.

"-Basement," Nervous tells her, "Not like I'd want to eat in the kitchen anyway, a lot of times it turns into a real scream-fest."

Crystal nods. "You know, you don't have to live there if you don't want to."

"I know," Nervous answers, "But I don't really have a lot of good options right now," he says, looking out into the distance, "Here's to hoping things will change," he states, enthusiastically holding his hand up.

"Things will change, just wait," Crystal tells him, "But first, we need to figure out how we're going to win this thing. After all, it's you and me, final two."

"Really?" Nervous squeaks, unable to believe what he is hearing.

…

A few feet away, Nervous is trailing behind Crystal. He reaches out to her as she moves further and further away from him, "I can't go on!" Nervous cries, grabbing onto her leg.

"Nervous don't-!" Crystal shouts as children continue throwing water balloons at her. "Geez! Why do they all have such good aim?" she wonders as she starts to slip. "Whoa!" Crystal loses her balance and falls off the mountain, knocking Nervous down with her.

"Sorry," he squeaks, once they are caught by the harnesses.

Crystals nods. "It's okay."

…

"If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and they would like to play it, now would be the time to do so," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the five remaining contenders.

Everyone looks towards Nervous, he looks down at the ground and sighs. Next to him, Crystal's feet are shaking as she nervously licks her lips. Suddenly, Crystal stands up, grabbing onto the idol in her pocket.

"I do," she states.

The Unsavory Charlatan shrugs, "Great," he says as Crystal moves towards him. Behind her, the jury is watching her every move.

Crystal reaches her pocket and holds the hidden immunity idol out to him. Within seconds, she has handed it over.

"Alright," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, holding up the idol to the survivors, "This is a hidden immunity idol, so any votes cast against Crystal-"

"-Nervous," Crystal speaks suddenly.

The Unsavory Charlatan scrunches his forehead, "What?" he squeaks.

"I'm playing it for Nervous," Crystal clarifies, "Not me. _Him_ ," Crystal says, pointing to her teammate. Behind her, Jenny and Pascal look shocked.

"Oh…well, okay," the Unsavory Charlatan says, giving a small shrug and tossing the idol into the fire, "Then any votes cast against Nervous will not count, but any votes cast against Crystal will. I'll read the votes…"

Crystal nods and slowly takes her seat back next to her teammates. Next to her, Nervous looks like he is about to cry.

…

Nervous places his torch in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. "Nervous, the tribe has spoken," he says, snuffing out Nervous's torch in one swift motion, "It's time for you to go."

Nervous nods and turns to the final two survivors. "Have fun being second," Nervous tells Pascal. He looks to his former teammate, "Control yourself, Crystal. Don't lose sight of the goal." Nervous steps back and waves to them briefly, before exiting out of the archway and into the night.

…

 **Nervous Subject  
** _Closing Words_

Even though I didn't win, I'm still proud of everything that I've done. Crystal and I were an amazing pair and I'm happy that neither one of us ever stabbed each other in the back. I'm actually looking forward to being a part of the jury. I know these two people better than anyone and I know exactly what their gameplays were, so there's no fooling Nervous Subject! But the great news is, I'm still getting my candles, because Crystal said she would buy them for me if she made the final two. What a great friend! _(smiles)_

…

The audience cheers as the montage comes to a close, the Unsavory Charlatan sporting a rather large smile in front of the television monitor. "-And was she ever, because the first thing Crystal did when she got home was purchase Nervous those candles," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the crowd. "Now this friendship was the most trustworthy on the show this season, because neither Crystal nor Nervous ever betrayed each other – so it is possible, folks, to play Survivor and not step on any toes," the host states, turning to Crystal and Nervous, who are both sitting next to one another in the front row.

"Now Crystal, this friendship between you and Nervous started way back in Episode Two, after he voted against Erin to save you from being eliminated," the Unsavory Charlatan recalls.

Crystal nods, "Right."

"But even before that happened, it seemed like you two were bonding. I think in almost every shot in Episode Two of either one of you, you and Nervous are standing next to each other," the host notes, "So, my question is, what is it about this guy that made you want to get to know him?"

"Well, during the first week on the Death Conquerors, I tried to get to know everybody on my tribe," Crystal begins, "I thought this was a good way to form relationships with people and to strategically keep myself around. And what I think is so funny is that the two people that I thought I was really going to bond with – Circe and Erin – both didn't like me at first. And I was so focused on becoming friends with the two of them, that I was completely oblivious to the instant bonds that I formed with Nervous, and, later that same week, Jenny – two people who were more like me."

"-And 'the Power Three', as many people called you guys on Twitter," the Unsavory Charlatan informs them. "There was also a lot of fanart of your alliance for some reason," the host notes, moving a tad in his seat, "Nervous, same question to you: What attracted you to Crystal?" he asks.

A deep blush forms on the test subject's face. "Uh…?"

"You know, why did you become friends with her?" the Unsavory Charlatan reiterates.

"Oh," Nervous gives a sigh of relief, "Well, she was so nice and quiet and pleasant to be around," Nervous answers him, "So the exact opposite of everything I was used to at home. Or-err, where I _used_ to call home, cause I actually moved out a few months ago, and now I live with her," Nervous stops and gestures to Crystal, "-So that's pretty cool."

"No, it's not. I don't have a test subject anymore," Loki grumbles behind him.

"As you can see, there have been many changes in Strangetown since this season aired," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, turning back towards the audience. "And some of the biggest ones were courtesy of the Grim Reaper!" the host announces, turning towards Death. "Midway through the season, the Grim Reaper decided to return to the show to resurrect some of the Survivors' loved ones for a reward challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds the audience, "Because of this, we had the pleasure of meeting Glarn and Kitty Curious, and of course, my personal favorite, Loki's dad, Bjorn. After meeting Bjorn, I have a lot of questions for Loki, but unfortunately we don't have the time for all of them, so I'll just ask one. Loki," the host begins, turning to the mad scientist, "Your parents are both insanely nice, so how did you turn out to be so mean?" he wonders.

"Well, the meanness in my family skips a generation," Loki explains, "So my grandparents were terrible human beings, but my parents are nauseatingly sweet, so you can see why I wasn't exactly pushing to have children," he groans.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods and crosses his legs. "That and the failed marriage!" he beams, turning back to the audience, "Before we move onto our next segment, I actually have a question for one of the contestants – and believe it or not, that contestant is Pascal," the host reveals, gazing down at the mad scientist and giving him a smirk. "Pascal, as I watched you play this game with thirteen other people from your city, I couldn't help but wonder why you didn't align with Nervous," the host states, "You guys are obviously great friends – I mean, not in the same way as Vidcund and Loki –"

Loki rolls his eyes. "Psh, we're not even friends!" he grumbles.

"- So Pascal, why didn't you and Nervous form an alliance?" the Unsavory Charlatan restates, hoping to get back on track, "You two were best friends outside of the game."

"Yeah, and I think that was the reason why I didn't align with Nervous," Pascal says, "I wanted to push all the distractions away so that I could focus solely on the game, because if I started adding these personal relationships to it, then it was going to get a whole lot more complicated," Pascal explains, "I mean, come on, you saw what that did to Vidcund," Vidcund laughs behind him. "And personally, I think that Vidcund would've been able to do way better in this game if Loki wasn't there and we had voted him out on day three - _like we planned_ ," Pascal remarks, giving a playful glare to Lazlo. The audience laughs.

"Of course," the Unsavory Charlatan replies, turning over another one of his notecards. "Before a fight breaks out amongst the Curious brothers, we're going to take another question from Twitter, and this question is for Loki," the host says, turning towards the town villain.

"Your followers have good taste," Loki smirks.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods. "So, one of the most intriguing alliances of this season was between you and Pascal, your greatest scientific rival," the host begins, "This fan is wondering why you decided to go with Pascal and put your trust in someone who you otherwise despise."

"Well, I think Pascal said it best, ironically in the episode where I almost got voted off the first time, when he said that it's better to go with someone you know really well, then to rely on someone who you have yet to uncover. And there were two upsides to going along with Pascal: One, no one would ever see it coming, and two, he was someone who I knew I could beat," Loki elaborates.

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, trying his best not to crack up. "Right," he smiles.

"Because, as I said in the first episode, there's no way this guy could possibly win a million simeoleons," Loki completes. The camera zooms in on Pascal, who gives a small laugh. The audience laughs as well. "Plus, throughout this whole journey, I think we were both trying to outplay each other," Loki continues, "And of course, when it came time for us to split, I was trying to beat him to the punch. Unfortunately, I didn't know that he had the hidden immunity idol, and I ended up going home that night, but you live and you learn," Loki shrugs.

"That you do," the Unsavory Charlatan answers, "And I learned that everyone in this city is completely nuts," he adds, "Now, there was a lot of bad luck this season, but no one had worse luck than Vidcund…"

…

"So, if you're all done asking stupid questions, we can get to your first challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "Well, I guess it would be your second challenge, because the first challenge is to survive on this desert island."

"Right," Vidcund rolls his eyes, "Because we have absolutely no experience living in a desert."

"Okay, just for that, I'm letting Loki decide the name of your tribe," the host retaliates, "So, Loki, what will it be?" he asks, turning towards the Curious Brothers' rival.

Loki begins to ponder this over, "Hmm, I'll call our tribe 'Vidcund Sucks'!"

"Now wait just a minute," Vidcund outbursts nearby, "Can I object to that-?"

"-No," the host replies, throwing a buff at Vidcund's face.

…

"Alright, so is everyone ready to get to today's reward challenge?" the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, turning to the twelve remaining sims; most of them nod. "Today we're going to be-"

All of a sudden, Loki collapses. Vidcund attempts to catch him, but only ends up cushioning his rival's fall as they both drop to the ground. Loki coughs and wrenches forward, throwing up all over Vidcund's torso. Loki collapses on his enemy, his face sweating. "Loki!" Circe screams out from the sideline, racing over to her husband as many others begin gathering around the fallen pair.

"EWW!" Vidcund shrieks, looking down at his now-tarnished clothing, "See? I told you he was sick!"

…

"Now," the Unsavory Charlatan begins, turning to the others, "Since the two tribes are merging, I think it would be easiest if we just take your old tribe names and combine them together. So from this day forward, your new tribe will be known as: Vidcund Sucks the Death Conquerors (Plus Jenny)."

Vidcund eyes widen in horror. "Oh God no!" he shouts as Loki bursts into laughter.

"You're right, it's too long," the Unsavory Charlatan states, "So how about we just shorten it to 'Vidcund Sucks Death'?"

"I like it!" Pascal chimes; Vidcund turns and glares at him, "What?"

Vidcund groans and slaps his forehead in frustration, "Why does this stuff keep happening to me? I'm a good person!"

"-That's debatable," Loki mutters behind him.

…

"Hey baby, I've been waiting for you," a voice rings out behind her.

Circe tenses up and quickly turns around only to find Vidcund lying down suggestively on the stones in front of the waterfall, wearing nothing but his orange speedo.

"Vidcund?" Circe speaks up, unable to believe what she is seeing.

"Oh yeah, it's me, your ex-boyfriend," Vidcund continues, trying his best to sound flirty, although it sounds more like he is suffering from stomach pains, "I've been thinking about what happened earlier today and I just can't get you out of my head. I just want you so bad!"

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

This is my nightmare. Please get me out of it!

...

Circe tilts her forehead, her expression suggesting that she is clearly not buying it. "Really?" she states, "Cause it really didn't seem like you were interested."

Vidcund rolls his eyes, waving away the thought. "Please, like I wouldn't be interested in you. You're the hottest, most intelligent person in the entire city, anyone would be stupid to push you away!"

Circe nods, crossing her arms with a smirk, "Well I can't argue with that."

"No," Vidcund moans out, swaying his body forward, "No one could. Now come here, Circy!" he shouts, swaying a bit backwards, "Come here and give it to your man! Whoa-oomf!" Vidcund flails his arms and falls backwards into the waterfall. He sighs and sits up in the shallow water, "You'd think after thirteen years of being single, I'd be better at this…"

…

"Why would that even make a difference? You don't like me! You even said it yourself," Loki replies, frustration in his voice. He turns away from Vidcund; his arms crossed.

"I-eugh," Vidcund stops, now noticing that everyone on the beach is staring directly at them. "Uh, shouldn't you guys be working on the challenge?" he asks.

"And miss the show?" the Unsavory Charlatan comments, stuffing a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "I want to see if you guys win this."

Vidcund rolls his eyes as he walks over to the others. "Please," Vidcund states, "Earl E. Demise has a better chance at coming back from the dead than we do at winning this thing-" Vidcund states, holding his hand up.

Lazlo cautiously steps forward, "Uh…Vid?" he begins, gesturing down.

Vidcund looks down at his right hand, which is holding the gray end of the string; tangled up between his fingers. Vidcund eyes slowly trail up the other end of the string, only to find Loki's kite soaring majestically in the air. "Oh come on!" Vidcund cries, throwing his hand down.

…

"Up next is one of the Curious brothers' underpants!" the Unsavory Charlatan proclaims, uncovering a pair of boxer shorts which is sitting in the center of a plate, "I'm not sure which one, so if you want them, you're going to have to take a gamble with the cleanliness."

"-They're Vidcund's," Lazlo speaks up, taking another bite of his burger.

Behind him, Pascal nods. "Yeah, they're Vid's," he confirms, giving a laugh, "They have melons on them!"

In front of Pascal, Vidcund groans into his hands. "This is so embarrassing!"

"Relax, Vid. Everyone's already seen your underwear," Pascal attempts to console him, "-Or they will, after this episode airs."

…

Vidcund facepalms and sighs. "So, you're alright?" he asks. Lazlo nods. "Well, in that case-" Vidcund takes a deep breath, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" he screams right at his brothers, "WHY DID YOU TWO VOTE ME OFF?!" Lazlo cringes.

"Okay Vidcund, you have to leave now," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, standing between Vidcund and his brothers as Vidcund continues to yell at them; Lazlo is cowering a bit, but Pascal looks unfazed. Finally, the Unsavory Charlatan sighs and gestures a few sims over to him, "Security!" he shouts.

Two security guards walk into the structure and grab Vidcund on both sides. "Hey – what are you doing?!" Vidcund shouts as they lead him out of the structure.

…

The audience cheers as the montage ends, all of them clapping for the plant biologist. Vidcund nods and shyly waves to them. "Vidcund, after everything that you went through this season, the one thing I gotta know is: Are you still mad at Pascal and Lazlo for voting you out?" the Unsavory Charlatan wonders.

"No," Vidcund tells him, "I mean, I was mad at first, but looking back, I understand why they did it," he answers honestly, "Let me tell you, though, I would've been a lot more upset if one of them hadn't have won in the end."

"And you really let Pascal have it at the final tribal council," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "It was so beautiful, it almost brought tears to my eyes."

Vidcund stares at the host strangely. "Uh…okay. Maybe you should get that checked out," he advises, "But I did give Pascal a hard time. Even before I spoke, I knew I was voting for him. I just wanted him to see how upset I was about what he did to me, and hopefully discourage him from ever doing something like that to me again."

"Alright, now I actually have another question for you, but this one comes from Twitter," the Unsavory Charlatan says, gazing down at a fresh notecard, "Vidcund, obviously you played this game with your two brothers, so you knew that it was only a matter of time before you had to turn on each other," the host states, "If that was the case, why were you so surprised when you were voted off?"

"Because I really thought I had more time," Vidcund answers, "Yeah, we knew that we were going to have to betray each other eventually, but honestly, I don't think I was ever going to be prepared for that."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, seemingly intrigued. "So, if you had the opportunity to play Survivor again, would you?" he wonders.

"Oh hell no," Vidcund quickly responds; the audience laughs. "-At least not with these people," he states, some of the Survivors laughing behind him, "But in all seriousness, I probably would, just because I think I could do better." The audience cheers; the host giving his nod of approval.

After the cheering has died down, the Unsavory Charlatan turns back to the plant biologist. "So Vidcund, I know a lot of people like to talk about how much you did wrong on the show, but there's a lot of things that you did right throughout the season," the Unsavory Charlatan informs him, "And perhaps the biggest thing that you did right was not leave your 'hyped-up' rival alone in the woods," the host states, gesturing over to Loki, "So kudos for not a being a jerk for five minutes. And of course, we will talk more about you and Loki's relationship later in the show, cause let's face it, that's the hook of this whole special."

The Unsavory Charlatan sighs and takes a rather large chug of water. He places the glass back down on the nearby end table. "Now, one of the most popular episodes of this season wasn't the one where Olive died or the one where Loki threw up on Vidcund, it was Episode Six – which was obviously the episode where Pascal betrayed Vidcund," the host reminds the viewers.

"Crystal, I gotta talk about it with you, because you were the superstar of the entire thing," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks, "This was the episode where I first started thinking that you actually deserved to win the game. I was sold," he tells the young townie, "There were so many things that you did right here, that I'm just going to do a quick recap for all the people at home that might not remember what happened."

The Unsavory Charlatan takes deep breath and gazes down at his notecard. "So Circe was just voted out by Loki and the Curious brothers, which left Crystal and her two alliance members on the bottom of the tribe. Then Crystal comes up with this plan to potentially twist the game in her favor, by convincing one of the members of the majority alliance to work with the 'bottom dwellers'," the host recaps, "Crystal thinks that she can get Lazlo to switch because he's her boyfriend, and she thinks that he's on the bottom of the other alliance, which is interesting, because up until then the two of them hadn't worked together at all," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "Lazlo says 'no way', Jenny tells Crystal to go to Pascal. Crystal pitches her plan to go after Loki to Pascal, and he seems to be interested. Now it looks like things might actually go your way for once," the host says, turning to Crystal.

"Right," Crystal nods.

"Then everything gets wrecked when Loki wins immunity, but you don't close the door on Pascal yet, because you're convinced that he still might come around," the Unsavory Charlatan remembers, "We're going to talk about that pitch that you gave to Pascal in the woods in a little bit, because that was such a big moment, but first there's a few more things I would like to say about this episode," the host says, turning back towards the audience and gazing into the camera. "This episode was quite controversial, because it dealt with the concept of bullying. We saw it a lot at the end of the episode when Loki was bullying Crystal at camp, and of course at tribal council," the host recalls, "It was in Crystal's pitch to Pascal earlier about what it's like to be 'the little guy' and it was in Pascal's pitch to Lazlo about voting off Vidcund. But the most pivotal moment of the episode, and ultimately the reason why Pascal 'levelled the playing field' so to speak, was because of something that happened during the reward challenge. Let's take a look…"

…

Fifteen minutes later, the survivors are still struggling to reach the top of the mountain. "Alright, so here's where we stand," the Unsavory Charlatan states, placing his hands on his hips, "We have Jenny in the lead with Lazlo only a few feet behind her. Loki is at the halfway point of the mountain and seems to have given up-"

"These children hate me!" Loki shouts as he continues to get hit with water balloons.

"-Vidcund, Crystal, and Nervous are not far behind Loki and are still in this," he chimes, "And then there's Pascal, who can't even seem to get up an inch," he states, watching as Pascal struggles to move up the side. "Which one of the six of you will win reward?" the hosts asks, rubbing his palms together, "I am itching with anticipation!"

"Don't worry, Tank!" Lazlo shouts from the mountain, "I'm going to get this!"

"Over my dead body!" Jenny glares at her brother.

Pascal slips over the first ledge at the base of the mountain and falls face-first into the sand. Pascal groans and lies down, clearly fatigued and out of breath.

"Oh give it up, Curious!" the host paces from the sidelines, "It would take a miracle for you to catch up!"

Hearing this, Crystal looks down at the struggling father. "Don't listen to him, Pascal! You can do this! He doesn't know what he's talking about!"

…

"Pascal, what was going through your mind when Crystal stood up for you at the reward challenge?" the Unsavory Charlatan wonders, turning away from the television set.

"Um…honestly, I couldn't believe it," Pascal replies, his facial expression genuine. "I can't think of many instances where people have stood up for me in my life, so that really meant a lot."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, pretending to be interested. "Like I said earlier, up until this moment, I hadn't considered Crystal a legitimate threat to win this game," the host reminds the audience, "But then day sixteen comes along, and something clicks inside of her, and Crystal starts playing to win," he says, taking another deep breath before continuing. The host gazes back at Crystal.

"One of the most game-changing moments of the series happened on day seventeen when you approached Pascal with your pitch to take out Loki," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks, "And you gave this heart-warming speech about being the little guy – you know, the person that gets picked on by others."

Crystal nods, tearing up a bit in her seat. "Mmhm."

"I tell ya, if I only saw that episode, I would've given you the title," the Unsavory Charlatan confesses, "Because honestly, you convinced a guy that has two PhDs and was the head of a majority alliance to sabotage his own game and vote off his own brother. And what was even more impressive was that you did it non-viciously!" the host exclaims, "I mean, so many people thought that Circe was dangerous, but they should've been looking out for you."

Crystal laughs and cracks a smile. "Thank you," she states.

"Pascal, walk me through your thought process in that moment," the Unsavory Charlatan instructs the eldest Curious brother, "I mean, what was it about Crystal's argument that made you go – 'I'm sold'!" the host wonders, clapping his hands together once.

"Well, I believe I already explained this at the beginning of the show, Chet," Pascal sasses, "But I'll just say that I wouldn't have made that move if I didn't know for sure that I would end up on top. And I made that move with Lazlo and I knew that it was the right decision for both of us. At the end of the day, we had to protect our brother – and I believe that was the best option we had to do so."

The Unsavory Charlatan is slumped over his seat, he gives a fake snore. "Uh-huh," he groans, shaking his head a few times before looking back to Pascal. "Now, you and Crystal had a big rivalry on the show after this turnaround," the host recalls, "You were both out to get each other immediately afterward, because you thought the other one was the frontrunner, right Crystal?"

"Right," Crystal chimes in nearby, "After a move like that, definitely. After that whole incident happened, Pascal knew I had called his bluff and I knew that I had revealed myself to be a strategic player," she notes, "And a big struggle I had on the island was trying to figure out how to play without anyone knowing that I was doing it. Unfortunately, after Vidcund's vote off, Pascal now knew that I was playing hard and that I was playing to win."

"I always knew that you were playing to win, that's one of the things I admired about you," Pascal speaks up, turning to Crystal.

Crystal smiles, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Uh, thanks," she beams.

"Ugh, I think I'm going to throw up," the Unsavory Charlatan groans, rolling his eyes. "Now, I know we talked about how big of a move this was for you two, but voting out Vidcund was also a massive move for Lazlo, don't you think?" the Unsavory Charlatan wonders.

"Yes," Crystal nods, "It was after he made that move that I was like 'Holy shit, Lazlo actually wants to play!'" she cries. A few seats down from her, Lazlo laughs.

"And Lazlo did play, he played a great game!" the Unsavory Charlatan seconds, "He played so well that everyone would've voted for him in the finals!" he continues, his facial expression still filled with disbelief. "Lazlo, I'm going to talk to you now, because you are the man of the next ten minutes so to speak," the host tells him, turning to the phrenologist, "There's this moment after you finish talking to Pascal about voting out Vidcund, where you're sitting by the ocean and you're debating whether or not to betray your brother," the Unsavory Charlatan recalls, "Vidcund actually ends up approaching you shortly before you go to tribal council and he notices something is off and Vidcund wonders if he should be worried that he's going to go home tonight," the host continues, "And you tell him that he has nothing to worry about."

Lazlo nods in agreement, "Yes."

"So, what happened?" the Unsavory Charlatan questions, "Why did you change your mind? Was it a last-minute decision or…?"

"Um, it's funny, because up until I had that conversation with Vidcund, I didn't know what I was going to do," Lazlo reveals, turning towards the spoken brother, "But when Vidcund said those words to me, I realized that there was no way that I was going to be able to stop this rift between my two brothers and I had to do what I believed was the least dangerous option and what I believed was the best for us brothers, and that was voting out Vidcund," he confesses. "So I knew what I was going to do even before tribal council started, but that still didn't make things any easier."

"And you make this really big move…and then you pass out," the Unsavory Charlatan recalls.

Lazlo smiles. "-And then I pass out," Lazlo repeats, "What an adventure. There was never a dull moment on Survivor!"

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head in pity. "-There never was," he seconds, "Before we move on to our next topic, there's something else that I want to ask you, Lazlo, and I think you know what I'm going to ask about."

Lazlo scrunches his forehead, clearly confused. "I don't even know what day it is!"

"-It's Saturday," the Unsavory Charlatan groans, "Now, in Episode Seven, Crystal approaches you and says that everyone is voting for Pascal," the host begins once more, "She tells you not to say anything because 'if you want to win, then you have to vote him out.' And then you immediately run over and tell Pascal, potentially screwing yourself over in the long run," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds him.

Lazlo nods, unfazed by this recollection, "Uh-huh."

"Do you regret it?"

"No, not at all," Lazlo answers certainly, "If anything, I would've regretted it if I hadn't have done it. There are some things that are more important than money, and after everything that happened with Vid, I couldn't in good conscience let Pascal suffer the same fate, especially since – unlike with the prior circumstance – I didn't agree with the decision that was being made," Lazlo elaborates, "At that point in time and obviously still now, I thought that Pascal was the most deserving of the money. After all the moves that he had made and after seeing all the hard work that he put into this, I knew I couldn't go through with what the other survivors wanted me to do – so I told him they were gunning for him."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, attempting to look deep in thought. "Did you know that he had found the idol before that tribal council?" he wonders.

Lazlo shakes his head. "No," he responds, "I suspected it when Pascal told me before we left that he had a plan, but I didn't know for sure until he played the idol, because obviously, I was never going to stare at his pants long enough to notice." The audience laughs as a bizarre expression forms on the host's face.

The Unsavory Charlatan shakes his head a few times, clearly dumbstruck, a disturbed glint in his eyes. "And now this show is rated M," the host states, "Before we get sued again, let's go back to Crystal because she's pretty G-rated," the Unsavory Charlatan transitions, turning back to the townie. "Crystal, at times, I found you similar to Ajay in that you two were both normal people who were just kind of throwing themselves into this sea of crazy," the host explains, "But unlike Ajay, who tended to isolate himself from his tribe and was like 'Why am I with these people?', you seemed to immerse yourself into it."

Crystal nods. "Yeah, I figured why not, because I knew I would be kicking myself later if I didn't give it my all out there," Crystal confirms, "And I tried to avoid the drama – I _really_ did – but sometimes, like you saw with Erin, it just kind of found me," she states, stopping to give the audience a smile. "It's funny, cause a lot of people approach me on the street and ask me if what happened on the show was real, and I tell them that this is exactly what it's like to live in Strangetown, a place that has all these strong personalities. And it may not have been obvious with all the personality clashes that we had throughout the season, but let me tell you, I loved every minute of it," Crystal beams; behind her, several of the residents are clapping. Circe pats Crystal on the back as the audience cheers.

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles as well. "Interestingly enough – and perhaps going off what you just said – you were the one who seemed to interact the most with Circe, who was someone that _everyone_ was afraid of," the host recalls, "You even went as far as seeking her out in certain situations."

"Yes. I like Circe, she's a tough cookie and I actually tried to mirror my game a bit with hers," Crystal states, "But to tell you the truth, I am still terrified of her," Circe laughs. "But the two of us had a lot in common and I knew going into this that she was the one to beat, the master manipulator so to speak, so I wanted to spend some time with her and try to figure her out, cause I thought that was the only way I could beat her," Crystal confesses.

"And you did just that," the Unsavory Charlatan continues, "You even got her to praise your gameplay at the final tribal council, which is a massive accomplishment, so great job," the host compliments her, "Now Crystal, before we move on, there's one more thing that I want to talk to you about and that is your friendship with Jenny," the host says, gesturing towards the mother. Jenny smiles and waves to the camera.

"You and Jenny had this great friendship on the show, which I thought was oftentimes overlooked because you were such great friends with Nervous as well, but your friendship with Jenny was unlike any other, so let's take a look at some of your friendship's best moments…" the host trails off, turning towards the television monitor.

…

Nearby, Jenny is dog paddling in the ocean with Crystal spotting her. "Looking great, Jenny!" Crystal tells her as Jenny moves towards the shore. "I don't get it, you can swim fine. Why are you so worried about this?"

Jenny reaches the shore and sighs, taking a seat in the sand next to Crystal, "Because, at the immunity challenge yesterday, I just felt so helpless. And I made a promise to myself that I'm never going to feel that way again. I don't want to let the team down, and I don't want to let my kids down."

"Come on Jenny, you're not going to let anyone down," Crystal says, "And you certainly didn't let any of us down at the challenge yesterday. I mean, you weren't the one that shoved your tongue in my mouth! Eww!" Crystal shivers.

…

Crystal stands up and slowly walks over to the voting station. She looks down at the empty piece of parchment situated on the table in front of her and sighs. Crystal taps nervously on the table for a few minutes, before reaching down and picking up the marker. She writes a person's name down and holds it up to the camera. "You've been with me since the very beginning…I'm sorry I have to do this…" Crystal says between tears, "…I feel so horrible…please forgive me." Crystal cries as she places a single heart next to the person's name, a few tears falling off her cheeks and striking the piece of parchment. Crystal takes a deep breath and folds the piece of parchment in half before gently placing it inside the voting box. Crystal wipes her face before returning to the rest of her teammates.

…

Crystal turns to Nervous, a knowing look on both of their faces as the host reaches into the voting box and takes out the fourth vote of the night. "Fourth vote – Jenny, counts," the Unsavory Charlatan says, revealing Jenny's name with a heart written by it.

Crystal turns to Jenny, a sorrowful expression on her face as she makes a heart with her hand. Jenny nods slightly and turns away from her as the Unsavory Charlatan reaches into the voting box and retrieves the final vote. The host opens up the final vote and scans it over.

"Tenth person voted out of Survivor: Strangetown Edition and the fifth member of our jury is…Jenny," the Unsavory Charlatan says, revealing the final name to the crowd. "Jenny, you'll need to bring me your torch."

Jenny nods and stands up, Crystal and Nervous immediately standing up with her. "I'm so sorry," Crystal says, on the verge of tears, as she gives the mother a hug.

"It's okay," Jenny reassures her, "I understand. You got me good, Vu."

"Bye Jenny," Nervous says, softly hugging her, "Thanks for everything." Jenny gives a smile small and pats him gently on the back before grabbing her torch from the wall.

Jenny sighs as she places her torch in front of the Unsavory Charlatan. The host looks up at her and shakes his head.

"Jenny, the tribe has spoken," he announces, snuffing Jenny's torch out in one swift motion, "It's time for you to go."

Jenny nods and turns to the other survivors. "Good luck, everyone," Jenny says, scanning her former tribemates over before holding her gaze on Crystal. She smiles knowingly, before turning around and exiting through the archway.

…

 **Jenny Smith  
** _Closing Words_

Well, I gave it my best shot and in the end, that's all that mattered. I am super proud of how well I did; I never thought in a million years that I would make it this far. As a mom, I'm really proud of my kids, both at home and my kids here, and how much they've grown in this game. In my opinion, there's no better way to go in this game, then to be voted out by a better player – or in this case, two. Nervous, I never thought I would see the day where you would start playing and take things into your own hands, so kudos to you, but I think my daughter's still going to win this thing.

…

"Crystal, you and I were with each other since the very beginning, which is why it was so painful when you voted me off," she confesses, staring into the young townie's eyes, "So why did you do it? Why did you do that to me?" Jenny asks.

"Because you turned on us and you went after Nervous, after we had all agreed that we were going to vote off Lazlo," Crystal answers honestly, gazing into the eyes of her friend. "I wouldn't have done it, if you hadn't have lied to me."

"I had to do it, because you two were too close!" Jenny shouts, her emotions getting the best of her, "Our alliance was always you two and me," Jenny gestures at Crystal and Nervous, tears forming in her eyes, "And I knew that if it came down to the three of us, you two would get rid of me in a second."

"You don't know if that's true, you're just assuming that would've happened!" Crystal shouts back, fierceness in her eyes, "Jenny, you and I are friends, you stood by me since the very beginning, do you really think I wouldn't have even given you a chance? That's crazy!" Crystal screams, "I knew how much this meant to you! The hardest thing I did in this game was vote you out and I was so devastated that I was crying into my vote! After all that, do you honestly think I would've it? Do you think I would've taken Nervous over you?"

Jenny sighs, her eyes trailing down to the floor. "I don't know," she sniffs, "I guess we'll never know," Jenny says, drying her eyes with her fuzzy, pale green jacket. She wraps the jacket around herself and nods at the finalists. "Good luck, guys."

…

Jenny sits up from her seat and walks over to the voting station. She stops and stares down at the piece of parchment for a moment, before picking up the marker and writing Crystal's name down on it. Jenny holds her vote up to the camera. "You're right, maybe things could've been different if I hadn't have betrayed you, but even if they were, I bet you, I would still be writing your name down tonight." Jenny gives a small smile and folds up her vote, placing it inside the voting box.

…

The host grabs another vote and unfolds it, glancing down at the piece of paper. "Third vote – Crystal," the Unsavory Charlatan reveals, turning the vote over. The vote is written in Jenny's handwriting; Crystal nods and grins at her friend; Jenny grins back.

…

"Crystal, that must've been a very emotional vote out for you," the Unsavory Charlatan states as soon as the montage comes to a close.

Crystal nods. "It was," she agrees, tears forming in her eyes, "The further we got into the game, the harder each of the vote-outs became. Jenny had been with me since the very beginning, and we had both gone through being on the bottom together, so when I had to vote her off, it was rough, because she had become almost like a sister to me," Crystal confesses, barely able to finish her sentence. Jenny turns to Crystal and smiles at her from the end of the first row.

"Jenny," the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, "At that final tribal council, you had a particularly hard time facing Crystal. And you were very vulnerable when you said that you always felt second to Nervous in Crystal's eyes. After watching this whole season back, do you still think that was the case?" he wonders.

"No," Jenny answers honestly, "If anything, watching it back made me realize how close Crystal and I really were out there. I mean, she had a bigger reaction voting out me than Lazlo, so that spoke volumes for me. It said a lot," she reconfirms.

"So, I take it you two are still friends?" the Unsavory Charlatan wonders.

Jenny nods. "Oh yeah."

The Unsavory Charlatan smiles, seemingly pleased by this news. "As you can see, some friendships on Survivor do survive!" the host awes, clasping his hands together in his signature pose. "But if there was one thing that didn't survive this season, it was couples. In fact, every couple minus Jenny and PT, either broke up or faced a major issue during the season. Which leads me to my next question: Crystal, are you still dating Lazlo?" he asks.

Crystal tilts her forehead. "I thought you weren't going to ask me any more questions tonight."

"Yeah, well, I lied," the Unsavory Charlatan quickly retorts, "So are you still dating the human garbage disposable?"

Crystal nods. "Yes."

"Really?" the Unsavory Charlatan chimes, a shocked expression shining on his face, "I'm surprised to hear that."

"Why?" Lazlo speaks up next to the host, "We didn't have any problems on the show!" he argues.

Loki nudges Lazlo from behind. "Whatever you do, don't watch the finale," he advises.

"-Or don't watch the finale anyway because this guy wins," the Unsavory Charlatan adds, gesturing briefly to Pascal. "Well, whether you liked him or you hated him, _everyone_ had an option about Loki. But there was one person on this season who _really_ liked him, and we gotta talk about it because it was the storyline of the season. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Vidcund and Loki!" the host declares, throwing his hands up to the cheering crowd.

…

"So, if you're all done asking stupid questions, we can get to your first challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan says, "Well, I guess it would be your second challenge, because the first challenge is to survive on this desert island."

"Right," Vidcund rolls his eyes, "Because we have absolutely no experience living in a desert."

"Okay, just for that, I'm letting Loki decide the name of your tribe," the host retaliates, "So, Loki, what will it be?" he asks, turning towards the Curious Brothers' rival.

Loki begins to ponder this over, "Hmm, I'll call our tribe 'Vidcund Sucks'!"

"Now wait just a minute," Vidcund outbursts nearby, "Can I object to that-?"

"-No," the host replies, throwing a buff at Vidcund's face. Vidcund picks it up and unravels the blue puff, which reads 'Vidcund Sucks' in giant letters.

"Whoa! How did they make these so fast?" Pascal awes.

"-It's like they knew what he was going to say," Vidcund responds, glaring at Loki, who flashes his signature smirk at him.

…

Vidcund is sitting in front of the campfire, Pascal sitting next to him, as he attempts to fan out his brown jacket. "This is disgusting," Vidcund speaks up, holding his jacket out a few feet from his face, his eyes watering a bit, "It's only been three days and I'm already starting to smell."

"You always smell," Loki notes, walking by the campfire.

Vidcund raises his eyebrows sarcastically, "Thanks Loki."

…

"Look, maybe we're not the best team," Pollination Tech #9 cuts in, "But we didn't lose because of Pascal. We lost because Buzz threw the map down a hole!"

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, "Well, if that's the case, Loki – who do you vote off?"

"-Vidcund," Loki replies snarky, his arms crossed.

"What?" Vidcund squeaks next to him.

"Hey, you've spent three days with me in this game, you should already know my thought process," Loki concludes, "But it's not just cause I hate him – even though that is the main reason why I want him gone. Vidcund is a big strategic threat and we need to get rid of him now before he starts scheming."

"Scheming?" Vidcund repeats, "Please! You scheme more than anyone else in the neighborhood!" he counters, "We'd be stupid not to get rid of you!"

…

Loki sits up and goes over to the voting station, writing Vidcund's name down in giant letters. "Hey dipwad, thought I'd add to the many disappointments in your life by getting rid of you first. There is no way I am losing to a Curious."

Loki returns, causing Vidcund to sit up and go over to the voting station. He takes the cap off the marker and writes Loki's name down in gigantic capital letters. "Seems like a no brainer on my part. Maybe if you were smart enough, you would see this coming."

…

The sun rises above the horizon, the sunlight beaming into the shelter, causing a few of the residents to stir. Vidcund sighs and shifts a little, cuddling up against what he believes to be the side of the shelter. Vidcund moans as he slowly opens his eyes, finding himself lying down on Loki's chest, cuddling with his enemy. Vidcund screams, which causes Loki to wake up and scream as well.

"OH GOD! WHAT THE HELL?!" Vidcund screams, quickly letting go of Loki. Both of them begin frantically dusting themselves off as everyone else in the shelter wakes up around them.

Vidcund races into the ocean and starts washing his body, hoping to cleanse himself from all Loki germs. After a few minutes of intense scrubbing, Vidcund sits down in the shallow water, giving a sigh of relief, though his expression is still filled with disgust.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

Eeeeewwww! _(shudders)_ I have a feeling that I'm going to be having nightmares about that for the rest of my life.

...

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

 _(shrugs)_ Eh, it was alright.

…

Vidcund groans and quickly holds his hand up to his face, attempting to block the sun from his eyes. "Geez, it must be over a hundred degrees out," Vidcund states, "Even mornings back home weren't this rough. I feel like I'm on fire," Vidcund comments, attempting to fan some fresh air into his shirt.

"No wonder why you're hot," Loki storms next to him, his forehead on fire as well, "Take off your damn clothes!" he rages. Everyone on the beach turns and looks at Loki, shocked.

…

"Do you notice something kind of off about Loki?" Vidcund asks his older brother, "He's acting really strange," Pascal raises his eyebrow, "I-I mean stranger than usual. You know, strange for _him_."

"I think you're just imagining things, Vid. He's fine," Pascal says, eating around the bone of his fish, "Well, as fine as he's ever going to be."

Vidcund turns back towards the shelter, his face filled with worry.

…

"Alright, so is everyone ready to get to today's reward challenge?" the Unsavory Charlatan speaks up, turning to the twelve remaining sims; most of them nod. "Today we're going to be-"

All of a sudden, Loki collapses. Vidcund attempts to catch him, but only ends up cushioning his rival's fall as they both drop to the ground. Loki coughs and wrenches forward, throwing up all over Vidcund's torso. Loki collapses on his enemy, his face sweating. "Loki!" Circe screams out from the sideline, racing over to her husband as many others begin gathering around the fallen pair.

"EWW!" Vidcund shrieks, looking down at his now-tarnished clothing, "See? I told you he was sick!" he tells his brothers.

…

Vidcund is sitting next to Loki, who is propping his head up against a tree so that he can look at him. "-You hate me," Loki states suddenly.

"Umm…well, yeah," Vidcund answers honestly.

"-I don't hate you," Loki responds, slurring a bit, sounding as though it hurts to spit these words out of his body.

Vidcund raises his eyebrows. "You don't?"

"No," Loki lightly shakes his head as he moves it up a bit, the light from the sky causing his eyes to shine. "-I think you're cute," he confesses, "Cute, cute, cute!" he spews out.

Vidcund freezes, these words shocking his entire body. Panicked and unable to handle any more of this situation, Vidcund quickly stands up and tries to walk away, but Loki latches onto his leg and tries to pull him back.

"No!" Loki shouts pleadingly, "Don't leave me! I need you!"

…

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

I always thought that I would break up their marriage, but not like this. Never like _this_! Can you just give me the money now? Cause I feel like I earned it!

...

 **Loki Beaker  
** _Mad Scientist/Professional Villain_

Here's the thing about the Curious brothers: there's three of them. There's the dumbass, the hot one, the other one, and then there's me. And that guy's a JERK! _(starts laughing maniacally)_

…

"Oh no, we're going to lose," Jenny sighs, watching hopelessly as Nervous completes the first third of the puzzle with Crystal, "We'll never be able to catch them!"

Circe pulls Jenny back by the shoulder. "Oh yes we will!" she states, her body filling with utmost determination, "You forgot one thing, _I'm_ on your team and I don't lose!" she tells them, "Watch and learn," she says. Circe brings her hands up to her face and messes up her hair a bit. Circe then pulls one of her bathing suit straps down, exposing her shoulder. She strolls over to the other team.

" _Hey Vid,_ " Circe cooes, tapping Vidcund gently on the shoulder as she suggestively moves her body towards him. Vidcund gasps and drops a puzzle piece when he sees her.

"Circe, what are you doing?!" Loki growls, stomping over to his wife.

"What does it look like I'm doing, dear? I'm winning this challenge!" Circe growls under her breath as she massages one of Vidcund's shoulders. He moans and starts to drool. Loki snarls.

…

"So Pollination Tech #9, what do you think went wrong during the challenge?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks.

"Well, we were doing alright. I thought everything was going great until Circe came over and started hitting on Vidcund," Pollination Tech #9 remembers, "Which of course made Loki mad and caused this vengefully crazy kissing spree," he explains, "And I know this isn't really in my place to say this, but I thought it was kind of weird that Loki got really 'pissed off' – I believe that's what the kids say – when Circe was hitting on Vidcund, but he didn't really seem that upset when Lazlo kissed her."

"What?" Loki immediately speaks up, "I was mad!"

"I agree with Pollination Tech #9," Ajay gives his two cents, "His level of anger wasn't really consistent with the situations at hand."

Loki throws his hand up, glaring at Ajay, "What are you saying? What exactly are you implying?" All around him, everyone is intently watching their conversation.

"Nothing," Ajay responds, "I just thought it was interesting."

"Oh," Loki says, calming down a bit, "Anyway, it's not my fault that things got out of hand, okay? My wife is crazy. She started the entire thing."

"-Bet you don't think she's cute," Vidcund mutters under his breath.

Loki turns to him. "What?"

"Nothing," Vidcund quietly dismisses.

…

"It's time to get to today's reward challenge," the Unsavory Charlatan says, pacing over to Vidcund Sucks, "But since we're trying to get really high ratings this episode, I'm going to be nice and make you guys a deal," he states, turning to the guys, "Look, I know you guys aren't exactly itching to go up against Circe again since that catastrophe yesterday, so I'll tell you what. I will grant your team an instant challenge win if you two," the Unsavory Charlatan gestures at Vidcund and Loki, "-Kiss each other."

Vidcund crosses his arms, glaring daggers at the host. "No," he states flatly.

"Are you sure?" the Unsavory Charlatan asks, "Because last time you guys had to forfeit a food challenge and I'm sure everyone on your tribe is really hungry," he tempts him, "I mean, look at how scrawny your tribemates are, do you really think that you guys can make it through another challenge?"

"I am _not_ kissing Loki," Vidcund concludes once more, "And I'm sure my tribemates understand!"

"No we don't! Just kiss your damn rival, Vid! We're starving here!" Pascal shouts behind him, frantically jumping up and down. Vidcund shakes his head 'no'.

Loki rolls his eyes, "Oh for goodness sake!" Loki walks over to Vidcund and grabs the sides of his face, pushing his lips onto his; Vidcund's eyes widening at the touch of him.

Vidcund pushes Loki away from him, quickly wiping his mouth off with his hands and coughing several times. He crouches down on the beach; Loki giving a small smile next to him.

"So, what do we win?" Pascal asks the host.

The Unsavory Charlatan shrugs, "Oh, you don't win anything. Turns out we're not going to have a reward challenge today, because we're merging!" he announces.

"WHAT?!" Vidcund exclaims, standing up from the sand, "You mean we did that for nothing?!"

"Oh, it wasn't for nothing," the Unsavory Charlatan states, turning towards the town villain, "Was it, Loki?" he remarks; Loki turns away slightly, avoiding eye contact.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan mixes up the slips of paper a bit, before reaching his hand in and grabbing one. He opens the slip of paper up and reads the name. "Loki," he calls out.

Loki crosses his arms and smiles matter-of-factly. "I want blondie," he states.

Next to him, Crystal steps back a bit. "Really?" she squeaks.

"Oh no," Jenny groans.

Loki shakes his head and gestures over to his teammate. " _Guy_ blondie," he states, smirking at Vidcund.

"-Of course," Vidcund groans, before walking over to the Unsavory Charlatan with a sigh. "Look, I know you're not one who is ever looking to do me a favor, but can you please let me work with someone else?" he asks, "Haven't I done enough with this guy to get you good ratings?"

The Unsavory Charlatan rubs his chin, seemingly thinking this over. "Hmm…you do have a point," he says, "I'll tell you what, I'll let you work with somebody else if Loki doesn't draw your name on his first try," he says, holding the hat out to Loki.

Loki reaches into the hat and pulls out a slip of paper. He unfolds it. "I got Vidcund," he says, holding up the piece of paper.

"Wait a minute, let me see that!" Vidcund exclaims. He walks over and grabs the slip of paper from his rival; Vidcund flips the paper both ways, scanning it over. Sure enough, his first name is printed on it in gigantic letters. "Damn it!" he curses.

…

Loki looks to Vidcund, standing next to him; his facial expression surprisingly soft. "I don't get it," he says, "I thought you liked me."

"I don't like you, I tolerate you. There's a big difference," Vidcund coldly states, staring straight ahead; his arms crossed, "And let's face it, at this point, that's all you can ever hope for."

"Oh," Loki musters out, incredibly hurt by this comment.

…

Loki shakes his head, giving an over-exaggerated laugh. "Look dipwad," Loki snarls, getting up in Vidcund's face, "I don't know where you got this strange idea that I have a crush on you, but I can guarantee you that this is nothing more than a misread of your massive ego!" he yells, "Believe me, I would like nothing more than to stay the hell away from you for all eternity!"

"Then why did you pick me as your partner?" Vidcund shouts, flailing his arms out, catching the end of the kite string in the process, "For once in your life, would it kill you to have some damn consistency?! First you steal my girlfriend, then you make me wet my pants, then you hit on me at your bachelor party, then you married said girlfriend, and then you hit on me again and called me cute. Make up your mind, which is it?! Do you like me or not?!"

"Why would that even make a difference? You don't like me! You even said it yourself," Loki replies, frustration in his voice. He turns away from Vidcund; his arms crossed.

"I-eugh," Vidcund stops, now noticing that everyone on the beach is staring directly at them. "Uh, shouldn't you guys be working on the challenge?" he asks.

…

Loki walks into the dimly lit bedroom. He finds Vidcund lying down on the queen-sized bed on his side, turned towards the open window. Upon hearing him, Vidcund moves his head a little, his eyes closed as he attempts to rest; his head lying on his hands. Loki slowly approaches the bed and leans forward, nudging Vidcund in the shoulder. "Vidcund," Loki whispers, "Vidcund!"

"Mm…what?" Vidcund moans, not bothering to open his eyes.

Loki lunges forward and presses his lips against Vidcund's, wrapping his arms around his rival's upper body in a passionate embrace. Vidcund immediately turns and lies down, the kiss instantly waking him up from his peaceful rest. Loki pulls back, Vidcund's eyes still wide in shock as they both sit up on the bed. Vidcund slowly brings his hand up to mouth; his face flushed.

"So uh…what did you think?" Loki asks into the silence.

"Well," Vidcund begins, readjusting his legs as he stares straight ahead at the ocean, "Do you still want calamari?"

Loki nods; his eyes shining. "Yes. Very much so," he answers.

"Oh," Vidcund speaks up; he clears his throat, "Well, I think it's safe to say that it wants you, too." The pair turns and smiles at each other.

Five hours later, Vidcund wakes up on the bed in the middle of the night. Vidcund groans and attempts to turn his head, but Loki is lying down asleep on top of him; spooning Vidcund from behind. Vidcund groans as he tries to move forward, but his rival's left leg is draped over him. Vidcund turns to the camera, trying to hide the gigantic smile that has formed on his face.

 **Vidcund Curious  
** _Plant Biologist/Dresses Like He's Eighty_

I don't think I'll ever be able to describe this to anyone…which is probably a good thing. But God, I really want to! _(smiles bigger)_

…

Loki is lying down on top of Vidcund making out with him as the rest of the tribe attempts to fall asleep around them. The pair start moaning and groping each other, causing Crystal to cringe and turn away from them, attempting to shield her eyes with her hand.

" _Oh God,"_ she whispers, making eye contact with Nervous, _"Make them stop."_

…

"-You love me," Vidcund smirks.

"Excuse me?" Loki squeaks.

"You love me!" Vidcund repeats, a bit louder this time, "Admit it. Admit it now! You can't deny that I'm adorable!" he beams.

"Yes, I-I mean, no!" Loki quickly corrects himself, appearing rather flustered, "Damn it! Where did you get that from?" he asks, unable to look his rival in the eye.

Vidcund steps forward, his playful smile fading. "Just tell me the truth, okay?"

"Right," Loki replies sarcastically, "Because I've maintained great success as a villain by telling the truth."

Vidcund sighs, "You're still on that?"

"It's my goal!" Loki responds, "And once I take over the world, I will reign as the supreme overlord and no one will be spared!"

"Not even me?" Vidcund wonders.

Loki shrugs, looking him over. "Eh, maybe you, if you stop asking stupid questions."

Vidcund leans back a bit, somewhat surprised by Loki's answer; a smile creeping back on the plant biologist's face. All of a sudden, Vidcund lunges forward and wraps his arms around Loki, passionately kissing him. After a short while, Loki pushes Vidcund back a tad, holding him at arms' length as he looks into his eyes. Loki grins, "Mm…you know you're starting to change my mind," he states.

"That's good," Vidcund softly whispers, "But right now, that's not really what I'm after."

"Oh man," Loki replies, moving towards him. Loki stops, his eyes now on the camera that is pointed at them. "Look over there!" he shouts, gesturing to something off-screen. The pair giggles as Loki pushes the camera away in the opposite direction. The camera turns back, catching Vidcund and Loki racing into the depths of the woods; Loki giddily dragging Vidcund by the hand.

…

"So after seeing all that, Loki, I gotta ask you: How did you go from this-" the Unsavory Charlatan begins, pointing up at a screenshot of Vidcund and Loki fighting at tribal council in Episode One, "-To _this_?" the hosts asks, now pointing to a screenshot of the pair groping each other in Episode Six.

"-Drugs," Loki answers animatedly, "It was definitely drugs."

Next to him, Vidcund is smiling. "Now, now, you can't blame all that on drugs," he tells his rival.

"Yeah, well, you guys saw the show, it was a natural progression," Loki answers once more, "Plus, I did have a crush on him beforehand and I have a knack for making weirdos fall in love with me, so it totally makes sense."

The Unsavory Charlatan nods, seemingly satisfied with his answer. "Now Loki, I have a question for you, and Circe, you can answer this as well if you'd like," the Unsavory Charlatan states, "What is it about Vidcund that is so appealing? I mean, it can't be the clothes."

"Oh God no!" Loki shouts dramatically, "But I like his personality and I think he's hot – not as hot as me, but we all can't be beautiful," Loki comments, "Plus, he's smart enough and he likes plant shit-"

"Man, these are terrible answers," the host replies, looking rather shocked and disturbed. "But this is exactly what I expected. Circe, is there anything that you would like to add?" he wonders.

Circe smirks, crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat. "Nah, I'm good."

"Alright," the Unsavory Charlatan says, adjusting his suit jacket before turning back to the audience. "One of the most heated episodes of the season was Episode Three, which was the one where Loki got violently ill and there was a vengeful kissing craze at the immunity challenge. Ajay," the host begins, turning to the chosen contestant in the top row, "At tribal that night you were trying to imply something about Loki. What was it that you were implying?" he asks.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ajay responds, "That Loki had a crush on Vidcund, which sure enough, we found out was true a couple episodes later."

"Right, and Episode Three – which, by the way, was my personal favorite episode of the season," the host confesses, "Was a big topic of discussion on the Survivor forums. And one of the most popular questions on the forum was directed towards Vidcund and it was: Why didn't Vidcund tell his brothers what happened with Loki in the woods, and that Loki had a crush on him?" the Unsavory Charlatan reveals to the audience, "So Vidcund, why didn't you tell them? Because if you did, they might've been more willing to vote Loki off."

"Yeah well, the reason why I didn't tell Pascal and Lazlo about it is because I felt like it wasn't my secret to tell," Vidcund states, "And at that point in time I wasn't comfortable telling them that I had feelings for him, and I didn't want people to start asking questions about it and drawing all of this unwanted attention to it."

"-And then you ended up revealing it on national television two episodes later," the Unsavory Charlatan retorts, flashing a sassy smirk. "Another popular question I received a lot this season was: Why do I hate Pascal? Now, this actually has a fairly decent backstory to it," the host begins, "As one may recall in the first episode of the season, I said that I was caught pickpocketing by the police and I was given a choice between hosting a game show and returning everyone's money to them," the Unsavory Charlatan reminds the audience, "But what I failed to mention is that I was caught pickpocketing because someone gave the cops an anonymous tip which turned out to be filed by none other than Pascal Curious!" the host declares, gesturing to the mad scientist in the front row. Pascal gives an enthusiastic smile to the crowd and waves.

Pascal nods. "Yeah, in retrospect, I probably shouldn't have signed my name on that sheet of paper or plastered the message on a billboard."

The Unsavory Charlatan glares at the winner. "No, you shouldn't have," he grumbles, "But we actually acquired a tape of the incident. So here it is!" he exclaims, turning towards the television monitor.

...

The Unsavory Charlatan is standing in front of the Art Museum, watching as the three Curious brothers walk towards the door. The sinister man clasps his hands together and rolls back on his heels, a devious smile on his face. He approaches Vidcund, causing his two brothers to stop in their tracks and turn towards the stranger.

"Excuse me, sir, but do you want to be incredibly rich?" the Unsavory Charlatan proposes, staring into the plant biologist's eyes.

Vidcund tilts his forehead, glaring at the man suspiciously. Pascal playfully nudges Vidcund in the side. "Do it, Vid! We can finally get that fuzzy, purple toilet seat!" he beams.

Vidcund turns to the Unsavory Charlatan and shakes his head, his hand mirroring his action. "No thanks. It sounds like a scam."

"It's not a scam!" Pascal chimes in next to him, "He's just trying to make us incredibly rich through illegal means and then pocket the money for himself!" he argues.

"-Which is the definition of a scam," Vidcund reminds Pascal, his arms crossed.

"It is not!"

The Unsavory Charlatan watches intrigued as the two brothers start fighting with each other. He looks over to Lazlo, who is attempting to text on his Nokia phone. "Excuse me, young sir, but you look like a clever man," he states, attempting to stare down Lazlo.

Lazlo briefly looks up from his phone. "Thanks, but I have a girlfriend."

"That's not what I'm trying to – wait, _you_ have a girlfriend?" the Unsavory Charlatan says, utterly puzzled. He shakes it off. "Never mind! The point is, you can be rich beyond your wildest dreams! And I can show you how!" he exclaims, throwing his arm in the air and moving it behind Lazlo, heading towards his pocket.

"Hey! That guy is trying to pickpocket Lazlo!" Pascal exclaims, ceasing his argument with Vidcund. He storms over to the strange man punches him square in the jaw, knocking him over.

The Curious brothers gather around the Unsavory Charlatan, staring down at his moaning body.

"Wow. Nice punch," Vidcund states, glancing at his older brother.

"Thanks, I've been using the body cruncher," Pascal beams, taking out his phone, "Now let's report him to the cops."

…

The Unsavory Charlatan turns away from the television screen, shaking his head embarrassingly at the content. "And that's the reason why I hate Pascal," he concludes, giving Pascal one more glare.

"You know, the funny thing is, I probably could've just taken him out with my cell phone. Those things are virtually indestructible!" Pascal proclaims, pulling his Nokia phone out of his pocket. He drops it on the floor, causing the ground to crack. "Whoops," he states. Pascal slowly reaches down and grabs his cell phone, placing it back inside his pocket. He turns back to the audience and smiles. "It's also funny that I was the one who let him fill our house with sleeping gas."

"Wait, what?!" Vidcund exclaims behind him.

Pascal smiles and laughs, shaking his head. "Yep. It was all a part of the master plan!" he cooes, slouching back a bit and giving a loving sigh.

"And with that, I think it is time to move on to this season's player of the game," the Unsavory Charlatan announces, gazing at the audience. "All season, we had you guys vote on who the Survivor player of the game was and the results are in!" the host declares, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a sealed envelope. "This year's player of the game was one of these fourteen players, was arguably one of the most attractive people on this season-"

"Ooh!" Pascal exclaims, leaning forward.

"-Was a strategic mastermind, and this person was one of our finalists," the Unsavory Charlatan goes on, "This person may not have beaten Pascal for the million, but they did win this honor. Ladies and gentlemen, this year's player of the game is none other than Crystal Vu!" the Unsavory Charlatan proclaims, gesturing over to the townie. Crystal smiles and waves to the crowd, everyone on the bleachers clapping for her. "Congratulations, Crystal!" the Unsavory Charlatan shouts over the audience cheers. He goes over and shakes her hand, before handing the young townie a signed check. "Good job, Crystal, enjoy your one hundred thousand simoleons and buy Nervous more candles!" he states, before sitting back down in his seat. The host smiles as the crowd continues to roar.

The Unsavory Charlatan waits in silence for a few moments, before re-buttoning his jacket and gazing back into the camera. "Well, we had a lot of great pairs this season, and because of this, we took all of your Strangetown favorites and we paired them off and we stuck them on a new game show, which we just finished filming last summer," the Unsavory Charlatan tells the audience, "Now, this game show is a little bit different than Survivor, and it features most of these people-" the host gestures to the fourteen players behind him, "-Except Buzz, cause he told us never to call him again. The Grim Reaper even resurrected Olive so she could be on the show since unfortunately, we didn't get to see her a lot last season, and the Grim Reaper will be returning as well. Also, Erin's roommate, Kristen, is joining us, so that'll be exciting. Honestly, that girl has no idea what she's in for," the Unsavory Charlatan states, shaking his head and giving a small laugh.

"But anyway! I don't want to give anything major away, but I do have a son now. And if you want to know how that happened, watch the show next month and all your questions will be answered. So join us next season, where we travel the Sims 2 universe and wreak havoc in every single town, and trust me, this game show is nothing short of _amazing_ -"

"Boo!" Pascal shouts, gesturing his thumb to the ground at that terrible pun.

The Unsavory Charlatan ignores him and turns back to the crowd. "To tide you over, here's a clip from next season where our good friend, Loki Beaker, tries to convince Consort Capp from Veronaville that he has a thing for his rival, Patrizio Monty. Take a look!" the host exclaims, turning towards the video onscreen.

…

Vidcund and Loki are sitting at the Capp's main dining table eating dinner with Consort Capp, his servant, and his three grandchildren. Vidcund is eating the steak, but Loki is barely picking at his food, his eyes wandering to the rather extravagant decorations on the wall. "This uh, this is great," Vidcund awkwardly states, hoping to break the tension.

"Thank you, Vidcund. I'm glad you like the food. It's much better than anything Patrizio would make," Consort replies, the stern expression not leaving his face.

Loki sighs and puts his fork down on his plate, pushing the dinner away from his body. "You know, you sure are obsessed with this guy," Loki says, "Are you sure you don't have a crush on him?"

Consort immediately drops his fork and narrows his eyes at Loki, all his grandchildren looking visibly uncomfortable. " _Excuse me_?"

" _Loki!_ " Vidcund whisper-hisses next to him.

"Because, I don't know, this whole thing seems kinda romantic to me," Loki continues, unfazed by the head Capp. "It definitely has romantic undertones."

"Unbelievable!" Consort growls, standing up from his seat and slamming his fists down on the table, "I've never heard anything more ridiculous in my life!"

"-And let me guess, your wife used to date him?" Loki says, leaning back in his seat, "Now where does that sound familiar?" Loki crosses his arms and glares sassily at Vidcund.

Vidcund leans forward, hiding his face in his hands. "Oh my God…"

"What?" Loki chimes, "I have no problem saying that in front of his wife!" he exclaims, gesturing across the table to the servant.

Vidcund leans into Loki, clearly panicked, and lowers his voice. "That's not his wife. His wife is dead!"

"Oh. Even better," Loki replies, flashing a smile. Vidcund turns to him, his mouth agape. "What?"

Two minutes later, Vidcund and Loki are getting pushed out the front door by two of the Capp's guards. "AND STAY OUT!" Consort screams, slamming the door in their faces.

Vidcund sighs as he slowly gets up from off the ground, Loki brushing his hands off next to him. Loki sighs and looks back at the English-style Capp estate. "Yep, he's definitely in love with him." Vidcund turns and glares at Loki.

…

The Unsavory Charlatan laughs as he turns away from the television screen. He claps his hands together. "Yep, it's gonna be great," he beams to the audience. "If you want to own a piece of Survivor history, you can go to our website and actually bid on items that were on this season of the show. For example, we have the quarter that Pascal dove for during the immunity challenge in Episode Four, all the torches, the map from Episode One, and weirdly enough, Vidcund's melon underwear, but unfortunately, we couldn't get Loki's wallet because of all the confidential information he has in it," the host informs the audience. "All the money that we make from these auctions will be used to help fund next season, because trust me, it is going to be expensive," the Unsavory Charlatan smiles and clasps his hands together.

"I want to thank everyone who helped out or watched or was on this season of the show. It was a great season of Survivor, even though Pascal ended up winning," the host remarks, "Come back in the spring, I think you'll like _The Amazing Race: Strangetown Edition_. Until next time, goodbye and so long from Strangetown!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hey guys! I just wanted to thank you for all of your support throughout this story. I am amazed and very appreciative of how many people took the time to read each chapter week after week! Thanks to everyone who faved, followed, or reviewed this piece, I really hope you enjoyed it. I enjoyed this story so much that I am already in the process of writing the sequel, _The Amazing Race: Strangetown Edition_. Chapter One will hopefully be up sometime next month!

If you liked this story (or even if you didn't like this story!), feel free to leave me a review telling me what you thought of it! Thanks again, and hopefully I will see you for the sequel!


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